FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 CONTACT: office@mainepeoplebeforepolitics.com New Statewide Poll Shows Maine People Want Hospitals Paid with No Strings Attached Data indicates people want spending restraint in Augusta as well and the same in their cities and towns
AUGUSTA - Maine people strongly want Maine's hospitals paid back with no strings attached. A total of 70% of respondents indicated that was their choice compared to 15% who felt it should be connected to an expansion of Medicaid. This was just one finding among several from a statewide polling survey in which Maine People Before Politics participated last week. The omnibus poll of 500 Maine citizens was conducted over three days from May 6-8, 2013. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered and active voters in the State of Maine. The poll's margin of error is +/- 4.5%. The work was conducted by Tel Opinion Research, LLC. Calls were done with live operators in a firm owned calling center. Since 1996 Tel Opinion has conducted thousands of surveys in both the public and private sector nationwide with a client list ranging from the NC Environmental Defense Fund to the National Federation of Independent Business. Tel Opinion has polled within the State of Maine for over thirteen years. Full questions asked and their associated results are below: QUESTION. WHICH POLITICAL PARTY REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, DO YOU TRUST MORE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR ISSUE THAT YOU BELIEVE SHOULD BE THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY? # % 1. REPUBLICAN 139 28% 2. DEMOCRAT 139 28% 3. BOTH EQUALLY 42 8% 4. NEITHER 151 30% 98. NOT SURE 29 6% TOTAL 500 QUESTION. AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE NEWS, MAINE IS FACING BUDGET PROBLEMS. DO YOU BELIEVE THE STATE'S BUDGET PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY TOO MUCH SPENDING OR NOT ENOUGH TAX REVENUE? DO YOU FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT? # % 1. STRONGLY SPENDING 232 46% 2. SPENDING 97 19% 3. TAX REVENUE 52 10% 4. STRONGLY TAX REVENUE 44 9% 98. NOT SURE 75 15% TOTAL 500 CUMULATIVE SPENDING 329 66% TAX REVENUE 96 19% QUESTION. DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD AGREE TO PAY OFF THE HOSPITAL DEBT WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED OR DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD ONLY BE PAID IF THE STATE AGREES TO INCREASE WELFARE BENEFITS WITH INCREASES IN MEDICAID? # % 1. NO STRINGS 344 70% 2. WELFARE/MEDICAID 73 15% 98. NOT SURE 77 16% 99. REFUSED 6% TOTAL 500 NOW LET ME ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET... QUESTION. BY LAW, MAINE MUST HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. EVERY YEAR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE STATE BUDGET IS SENT TO TOWN AND CITY GOVERNMENTS. DO YOU THINK TOWN AND CITY GOVERNMENTS SHOULD CUT SPENDING TO HELP THE STATE BALANCE ITS BUDGET? # % 1. YES 276 55% 2. NO 155 31% 98. NOT SURE 69 14% TOTAL 500 QUESTION. IF THE STATE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT SENDS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, DO YOU THINK YOUR COMMUNITY SHOULD CUT SPENDING AND SERVICES OR INCREASE TAXES TO PROVIDE FOR EXISTING SERVICES YOU RECEIVE? # % 1. CUT SPENDING 292 58% 2. RAISE TAXES 109 22% 98. NOT SURE 99 20% TOTAL 500 QUESTION. IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE STATE BUDGET, DO YOU THINK TAXES SHOULD BE RAISED TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT LEVEL OF STATE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS OR CUT THESE SERVICES IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY INCREASE IN STATE TAXES? # % 1. RAISE TAXES 114 23% 2. CUT SERVICES 291 58% 98. NOT SURE 95 19% TOTAL 500 QUESTION. EVEN IF THE STATE IS FACING A BUDGET SHORTFALL, DO YOU THINK THE STATE SHOULD CONTINUE TO CUT TAXES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOB GROWTH? # % 1. YES 228 46% 2. NO 178 36% 98. NOT SURE 94 19% TOTAL 500 AGE # % 1. 18-34 43 9% 2. 35-44 53 11% 3. 45-54 93 19% 4. 55-64 128 26% 5. 65+ 183 37% TOTAL 500 GENDER # % 1. MALE 236 47% 2. FEMALE 264 53% TOTAL 500 "Governor LePage has put forward a strong, common sense plan to pay our hospitals by fixing a broken liquor contract, with no tax increases. These results indicate that it is time to put the politics aside in Augusta and pass the Governor's plan now. No more delays," said Charlie Gaunce the President of the Board of Maine People Before Politics.
"The results also indicate that the people of Maine are ready to get our budgets balanced with a trimming of services and costs without raising taxes. It is time for Augusta to respond to the people," Gaunce concluded. # # #
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