TO: Interested Parties

FROM: Lisa Grove and Melissa Chernaik, Grove Insight, Ltd.

RE: Voter Support for Public Employees and Certain Tax Proposals
DATE: March 29, 2011

Methodology: This analysis is based on a 500 sample telephone survey conducted statewide among
registered voters in Nevada using professional interviewers. The survey was conducted March 24-27, 2011.
The margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS:

 Majorities have favorable views of both ―public employees‖ and ―state workers;‖
 Nearly six in 10 (59%) believe Nevada’s public employees are paid ―the right amount‖ or that their
pay is ―too low;‖
 Nevadans oppose proposals to reduce public employee wages, change public employees’ retirement
to a defined contribution system, and eliminate collective bargaining for public employees;
 Voters give Governor Sandoval net negative job performance ratings, and disapprove of the
Governor’s refusal to compromise on a budget solution that includes raising some taxes; and
 They support proposals to raise revenue through tracking corporate tax breaks and eliminating
corporate tax breaks that don’t create jobs, requiring banks and mining companies to pay taxes on
par with neighboring states, and hiring additional auditors to bring in uncollected taxes.

Nevada’s Public Employees Are Held in High Regard

Whether referred to as ―public employees‖ Please tell me overall, do you have a very favorable,
or ―state workers,‖ those on the front lines somewhat favorable, neutral, somewhat unfavorable,
or very unfavorable impression of ?
of delivering services in Nevada are held in
high esteem by Nevada voters. A strong
61%
majority rate both groups favorably, while Public employees 11%
fewer than one in five hold unfavorable 28%
impressions of these groups.

57%
It is worth noting that these positive State workers 14%
feelings transcend all demographic divides. 28%
Regardless of age, gender or party
affiliation, a majority report favorable 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

impressions of public employees. Favorable Unfavorable Neutral/No opinion

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Moreover, Nevadans believe public

On average, do you think the pay that public employees
receive is too high, the right amount, or too low? employees are being compensated fairly.

Less than one-quarter (24%) say these

17% workers are being paid ―too much,‖ while
24%
a plurality (41%) believes they are paid
Too high ―the right amount.‖ Another 17 percent

Right amount say public employee wages are ―too low.‖

Too low Again, these feelings cut across

demographic divides; even Republican
18% Don't know
41% voters are more inclined to rate public
employees’ pay as ―the right amount‖ or
―too low‖ (48%) than ―too high‖ (35%).

Voters Reject Proposals to Reduce Public Employees’ Wages, Retirement

Security or Collective Bargaining Rights
Given Nevadans’ favorable feelings toward frontline state workers, it is not surprising that proposals
attacking public employees are poorly
I am going to read you a number of proposals that
received. By a margin of 30 percentage
may be considered during the current legislative
session in Nevada. After each one, please tell me points, voters reject a proposal to reduce
whether you would favor or oppose that proposal.
public employee wages (28% favor, 58%
oppose). In fact, opposition is intense:
Reduce wages for public employees.
three times as many Nevadans oppose
Net Favor: 28% Net Oppose: 58%
this idea ―strongly‖ (36%) as support it
―strongly‖ (13%).
Change the Public Employee Retirement System from one
that guarantees a fixed dollar amount to retirees, to one
where retirement benefits would depend solely on how Opposition spans partisan divides. Strong
well the employee’s fund appreciates in the stock market
and in other investments. majorities of both Democrats (66%) and

Net Favor: 32% Net Oppose: 50% Independents (61%) oppose the idea, as
does a plurality of Republicans (39%

Eliminate collective bargaining for public employees. favor, 46% oppose). Majorities among

Net Favor: 35% Net Oppose: 47% every age group and region across the
state are also opposed.

Similarly, voters oppose changing public employees’ retirement from a defined benefit to a defined
contribution plan (as explained to voters in the text box to the left). Exactly half oppose the idea, with
just under one-third (32%) in favor. Similar numbers of Democrats (52%), Republicans (51%) and
Independents (46%) line up against the plan.
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A proposal to eliminate collective bargaining for public employees is also unpopular. Nevadans reject this
idea by a margin of 12 points (35% favor, 47% oppose).

Conversely, There Is Widespread Support for Certain Proposals to Raise Taxes

and Ensure That Corporations and Other Pay Their Fair Share
In stark contrast with voters’ clear
rejection of proposals targeting
I am going to read you a number of proposals that may public employees, Nevadans
be considered during the current legislative session in
Nevada. After each one, please tell me whether you embrace proposals to raise
would favor or oppose that proposal.
revenue through other means.

Track the money the state spends each year on corporate tax
Proposals to track and account for
breaks and give citizens a full accounting of where that money
goes. corporate tax breaks; eliminate
Net Favor: 86% Net Oppose: 9% breaks that don’t create jobs; put
Nevada’s taxes on banking and
Require banks to pay the same amount of taxes in Nevada as mining companies on par with
they pay in neighboring states like Utah and Arizona.
neighboring states, and hire
Net Favor: 76% Net Oppose: 14%
additional state auditors to bring
in the nearly $200 million in
Require mining companies to pay the same amount of taxes in
Nevada as they pay in neighboring states like Utah and Arizona. uncollected taxes are all met with

Net Favor: 75% Net Oppose: 14% approval from more than six in
10. In fact, there is not a single

Eliminate corporate tax breaks that don’t create jobs. major demographic group that

Net Favor: 74% Net Oppose: 17% rejects any one of these proposals
– voters of all stripes approve

Hire additional state auditors to help collect the nearly $200 them all.
million in uncollected state and local taxes.
Net Favor: 62% Net Oppose: 27%
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Voters Give Sandoval Negative Job Performance Ratings, and Disapprove of the
Governor’s Refusal to Compromise on Taxes
By a margin of 11 points, Nevadans give Governor What kind of a job is Governor Brian
Sandoval doing in office? Is he doing
Sandoval negative marks for his performance in office. an excellent job, a good job, only a
fair job, or a poor job?
While 37% rate him ―excellent‖ or ―good,‖ nearly half
Excellent 8% 37%
(48%) call his performance ―only fair‖ or ―poor.‖ A Good 29%
Only fair 34%
majority of Democrats (55%) and a plurality of Poor 14% 48%
Independents (44%) pan his performance, and even Don’t Know 15%

Republicans are divided, with 47% rating him positively

and 42% rating him negatively.

Over half of Nevadans

Right now, Nevada is facing a ONE-POINT FIVE billion dollar budget
shortfall. Governor Brian Sandoval has refused to consider any compromise (57%) disapprove of
that includes raising some taxes – even if that means deep cuts to local
schools. Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Sandoval’s position?
Governor Sandoval’s
hardline position against
raising any taxes if it
57%
60% means cuts to local
schools. Further, the
50%
intensity is on the side of
40% 31% those who disapprove:
over one-third disapprove
30%
―strongly,‖ compared to
20% 12% only 14 percent who
approve ―strongly‖ and
10%
31% who approve of his
0% position at all.
Approve Disapprove DK/NA

Strongly Not strongly This is the second recent

poll to conclude that
Nevadans support a comprehensive approach to the budget that includes raising taxes. A statewide
survey of 500 likely voters released February 15th by the Retail Association of Nevada1 also found that—
by a margin of 52 percent to 37 percent—Nevadans prefer that the Governor and State Legislature raise
their taxes, rather than cut spending for government services.

1
Retail Association of Nevada poll; N=500 likely voters; February 8-10 2011; MOE +/-4.4