FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sacramento - The Alliance for a Better California released polling information today showing that opposition to Proposition 76, the "Cut School Funding Act," has increased dramatically with the new language that was added to the ballot last week.
Prior to the changes, 39% of likely voters opposed the initiative; with the current language, 51% of likely voters oppose the initiative.
see Polling Memo, prepared by The Mellman Group (PDF)
Last week, when the Attorney General provided the updated title and summary for Proposition 76, the Governor's campaign claimed that the new language was a "big win" for the initiative. Below is an excerpt from The Sacramento Bee ("Lockyer Rewrites Prop 76 Summary," Gary Delsohn 7/28/05):
Attorney General Bill Lockyer has rewritten a controversial ballot summary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's spending control ballot measure, giving what the governor's advisers called a big boost to his election agenda.
"This is a big win for the governor," Todd Harris, a spokesman for his special election campaign, said Wednesday.
Today's polling information, showing the initiative faring even worse, clearly demonstrates that once again the Governor's team is spinning on overdrive for an anemic agenda that has long since been derailed.
The polling information also shows that voters are strongly opposed to the measure for multiple reasons, including the fact that it eliminates the minimum funding guarantee for education that was approved by voters with Proposition 98, it attacks checks and balances, concentrating too much power in the hands of the Governor; and it slashes funding for education, health care and law enforcement.
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