Most Wisconsinites believe that Governor Walker’s proposed budget changes that include unions to pay 5.8% of their salary toward the cost of their pensions plans and double their contributions for health care premiums to 12.6% are fair, according to a new poll sponsored by WisconsinReporter.com.

The poll which was conducted on February 21, 2011 of 500 likely voters in Wisconsin also showed a perceived discrepancy between benefits for public and private sector employees, with 69% believing that government workers in their community have better benefits than private sector workers.

“This poll shows that a majority of the people in Wisconsin are standing behind aspects of Governor Walker’s budget reform proposal,” said Jason Stverak, President of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a national nonprofit journalism organization which operates WisconsinReporter.com. “Wisconsin Reporter has been on the ground floor of this story reporting from the Capitol since the budget battle began. This poll reiterates the opinions and comments that the reporting team at Wisconsin Reporter are hearing while capturing the breaking news from Madison.”

The poll also showed that given the choice to reduce teacher pensions and salaries or cut sports and extra-curricular programs for students, 44% would reduce the pensions and only 34% would cut sports and extra-curricular programs. Full poll details are listed below. 

WisconsinSurvey of 500 Likely Voters

Conducted February 21, 2011

1* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable opinion of the budget repair bill proposed by Gov. Scott Walker?

39% Very favorable

11% Somewhat favorable

14% Somewhat unfavorable

36% Very unfavorable

0% Not sure

2* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression of the union workers and their supporters demonstrating at the Wisconsin Capitol?

36% Very favorable

13% Somewhat favorable

18% Somewhat unfavorable

30% Very unfavorable

3% Not sure

3* Next, Wisconsin faces an estimated budget deficit of about $3.6 billion over the next two years … Which approach would you choose for dealing with the state’s budget shortfall … rely entirely on spending cuts with no tax increases … rely mainly on spending cuts, with some tax increases … have an even balance of spending cuts and tax increases … rely mainly on tax increases, with some spending cuts … or rely entirely on tax increases, with no spending cuts?

30% Rely entirely on spending cuts with no tax increases

27% Rely mainly on spending cuts, with some tax increases

33% Have an even balance of spending cuts and tax increases

7% Rely mainly on tax increases, with some spending cuts

2% Rely entirely on tax increases, with no spending cuts

1% Not sure

4* Governor Walker is asking unions to pay 5.8% of their salary toward the cost of their pensions plans and double their contributions for health care premiums to 12.6%. Is that fair?

71% Yes

22% No

7% Not sure

5* How likely is it that you would support the recall of state senators who left the state to avoid a vote on the budget?

37% Very likely

10% Somewhat likely

12% Not very likely

36% Not at all likely

5% Not sure

6* Generally speaking, are government workers in your community better compensated than private sector workers?

48% Yes

29% No

23% Not sure

7* Generally speaking, do government workers in your community have better benefits than private sector workers?

69% Yes

14% No

17% Not sure

8* Should school districts fire teachers who call in sick to protest Governor Walker?

32% Yes

53% No

15% Not sure

9* Should Wisconsin’s state employees and public employee unions have collective bargaining powers?

56% Yes

32% No

12% Not sure

10* Given these choices, which approach would you take for dealing with a school district budget shortfall … reduce teacher pensions and salaries or cut sports and extra-curricular programs for students?

44% Reduce teacher pensions and salaries

34% Cut sports and extra-curricular programs for students

22% Not sure

11* Who do you think is doing the best job at tackling spending and budgets issues — state officials such as Gov. Walker or lawmakers in Washington?

46% State officials such as Gov. Walker

33% Lawmakers in Washington

21% Not sure

12* Do you believe that President Obama should get involved in state disputes like the one in Wisconsin or focus his efforts on the federal budget battle in Washington?

27% Obama should get involved in state disputes

68% Obama should focus his efforts on the federal budget

5% Not sure

13* Is anyone in your household a member of a state public employee union?

23% Yes

75% No

2% Not sure

14* In the November 2010 election for Governor, did you vote for Tom Barrett or Scott Walker?

45% Barrett

46% Walker

8% Some other candidate

1% Not sure

15* Should Wisconsin residents be allowed to carry a concealed weapon?

45% Yes

45% No

10% Not sure

16* Should Wisconsin residents be required to present a photo ID in order to vote?

68% Yes

27% No

6% Not sure

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. The telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research on February 21, 2011. Pulse Opinion Research, LLC is an independent public opinion research firm using automated polling methodology and procedures licensed from Rasmussen Reports, LLC.