Tulchin Research - Polling & Strategic Consulting

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The Restoring California Coalition Yesterday Filed Title and Summary for the California Funding Restoration Act with the Attorney General

Contact: Fred Glass, (510) 579-3343; fglasscft@gmail.com;
Sabrina Smith, (323) 735-9515; ssmith@scopela.org;
Ana Beatriz Cholo, (312) 927-4845; anabeatriz@couragecampaign.org.

A broad coalition of educators, unions and community groups announced yesterday it is filing a ballot initiative to restore critical funding to schools and universities, essential services for seniors, and public safety, as well as start rebuilding the state’s crumbling roads and bridges. It asks the wealthiest Californians – people who earn over a million dollars per year – to help pay to rebuild the state. The “California Funding Restoration Act” would increase personal income taxes only on those who make $1 million or more annually to restore funding to services that make California communities stronger and safer, and ensure seniors receive the care they deserve.

“As a teacher and parent, I have seen the terrible impact of state budget cuts on our schools through teacher layoffs and larger class sizes,” says Joshua Pechthalt, president of the California Federation of Teachers. “It is time for the wealthiest Californians to pay their fair share to restore funding for education and essential services.”

The coalition tested various approaches in opinion research with likely voters. No other type of proposal came close to the strength of voter opinion in favor of the idea that the richest Californians should pay their fair share to restore funding for schools and services. Pollster Ben Tulchin notes that “Extensive recent public and private polling show that California voters strongly support a progressive approach of raising taxes on the rich to fund education and other essential services that have been cut in recent years.”

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