CalRTA Poll Shows Majority Support for Prop 30 Among 55-Older Voters

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA) today released a benchmark poll showing that 56 percent of likely voters 55 and older support Prop 30 and almost 90 percent of active and retired teachers would vote for the measure. The poll also shed light on the issues most important to this age group and their favored news sources for California government and political issue.

“In our very first foray into the political area, CalRTA is getting the word out about the critical nature of funding public education today and that CalRTA has a stake in the future of education as well as its primary mission of protecting the pensions of dedicated, passionate retired teachers.”

“The good news is that this measure has nearly identical support among Democrats, Republicans and Decline-to-state voters,” CalRTA President Joe Dion said. “Even better news is that CalRTA helps move the needle toward support among this age group as a whole.”

Noting that CalRTA is conducting its first-ever political campaign effort in its 83-year history by conducting an independent expenditure campaign in support of Prop 30, Dion said that while the support from teachers for a measure that benefits public education isn’t surprising, CalRTA itself has a decidedly positive influence on voters when deciding whether to support or oppose the measure.

“Nearly 41 percent of the respondents were more likely to vote for Prop 30 when they learned that CalRTA supports it. That number rose to 44 percent when the messages were supported by retired teachers in general,” Dion said.

“This poll demonstrates what our members have lived all their professional lives: teachers make a deep and lasting impact on people’s lives and voters will approve measures that will help teachers provide students with a brighter future,” he said. “It also indicates that, as an association, we have some measure of influence and potential to increase the awareness about what CalRTA stands for.”

The survey found that when CalRTA is the messenger, nearly as many respondents became more likely to vote yes on Prop 30 as when Governor Brown is the spokesperson, 57 percent versus 63 percent, respectively. While the governor is slightly more effective, CalRTA clearly has significant impact.

The poll also found that the most important issue facing this age group is government (30 percent), followed closely by jobs and the economy (29 percent), and public safety (12 percent). A majority (52 percent) of respondents believe the state is on the wrong track.

When asked where they get their primary source of news and information, respondents looked to television first (59 percent), newspapers next (22 percent), web sites (6 percent), and social media platforms (2.5 percent).

“In our very first foray into the political area, CalRTA is getting the word out about the critical nature of funding public education today and that CalRTA has a stake in the future of education as well as its primary mission of protecting the pensions of dedicated, passionate retired teachers.”

Probolsky Research conducted the telephone survey of likely November, 2012 General Election voters over 55 within California between September 3 and September 9, 2012. A total of 755 surveys were collected and the poll has a +/- 3.7% margin of error.

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About CalRTA

The California Retired Teachers Association is the state’s foremost organization completely dedicated to the concerns of retired educators. CalRTA began in 1929 as the country struggled through the Great Depression. Today, CalRTA is the state’s leading organization of retired educators representing nearly 50,000 retirees. More information online at www.calrta.org and via Facebook.

Paid for by the California Retired Teachers Association Committee, a committee for Proposition 30, sponsored by the California Retired Teachers Association.