In a recent survey, nine of 10 California voters said the state’s looming budget deficit is a serious problem.
Of those surveyed in a Field Poll released Friday, 58% said the deficit was very serious, and 32% said it was somewhat serious.
The most recent projection from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, released in November, is that the general fund will close the year with a $2 billion negative balance, and that it will have a structural deficit of $8 billion for fiscal 2009 without any changes to current law or policy, creating a $10 billion problem to solve.
Some reports from within the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have placed that figure as high as $14 billion.
Of those surveyed by the Field Poll, a plurality of 48% said they believe taxes will have to be raised to deal with the problem, compared to 43% who don’t believe a tax hike will be needed.
