Minnesota Lawyer
Courtesy of the Minnesota State Fair
Even though the participants in this year’s Senate State Fair poll were mostly Democrats, they didn’t indicate a strong interest in jacking up taxes.
There were 5,948 State Fair goers who took part in the nonpartisan Secretary of the Senate’s unscientific survey, of which 42 percent were DFLers. Twenty-one percent were Republicans and 18 percent considered themselves “independents or other.”
Despite the DFL tilt among respondents, fewer (42.4 percent) said they would support an income tax increase if the money generated from the increase was used to reduce local property taxes than those who said they wouldn’t support the increase (45 percent). Nearly 12 percent said they were undecided or had no opinion.
On solving a state budget shortfall, 13.5 percent said they’d increase state revenue, 33.8 percent said they would reduce state spending and 51.6 percent said they would resolve the deficit by a combination of revenue increases and spending cuts.
The results were more lopsided in the Senate’s question on redistricting. Sixty-two percent of poll respondents said they would support legislation creating a bipartisan commission of retired judges to redraw legislative districts every 10 years. Twenty-one percent were opposed. The proposal, which has been introduced by Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, would change the fractious method currently employed in which legislators and the governor set out to draw the boundaries.
On the issue of a football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, 33 percent responded that legislators should deal with the situation next year because the team’s lease at the Metrodome will expire. Twenty-six percent said “no” because they believe the team will stay in Minnesota.
Among the poll’s demographics, 47.2 percent were suburbanites and 32 percent were from either St. Paul or Minneapolis. Overall there were 14 questions in the Senate poll.
