2012 Final Survey Results
Thank you for your interest in the 2012 Legislative Survey results. To receive an email update when the 2013 Legislative Survey is available, please click here.
Education
1. Do you support additional ways to establish new public charter schools in Virginia?
Yes – 67%
No – 28%
Undecided – 5%
2. Should the Commonwealth require that a certain percentage of local education funding be used for classroom instruction, which includes classroom supplies and teacher pay, as compared to non-instructional services?
Yes – 79%
No – 17%
Undecided – 4%
3. Do you support giving school boards the ability to begin classes before Labor Day and set their own academic calendars?
Yes – 71%
No – 27%
Undecided – 2%
4. To expand access to higher education opportunities throughout the Commonwealth, would you support making it possible to complete all requirements and earn a bachelor’s degree in three years?
Yes – 86%
No – 13%
Undecided – 1%
Jobs & Economy
5. Virginia continues to face budget constraints due to the lingering effects of the nationwide recession. How should the General Assembly address such budgetary constraints?
[Note: Responses listed below in order of preference based on the average of all responses for each option: 1= First Course of Action, 5= Last Resort. The average response for each option is listed in italics.]
1) Cut needless government spending and eliminate earmarks – 1.45
2) Cut outdated, duplicative and unnecessary boards and commissions – 1.68
3) Streamline, consolidate and/or eliminate state agencies and bureaucracy – 2.04
4) Increase certain fees to cover the actual cost of providing certain government services – 3.36
5) Raise general or statewide taxes (sales, income, gas, and/or personal property) - 4.30
6. What services are most important to you? Please rank your responses.
[Note: Responses listed below in order of preference based on the average of all responses for each option: 1= Highest Priority, 5= Lowest Priority. The average response for each option is listed in italics.]
1) Fostering Jobs and Economic Development – 1.97
2) K-12 Schools and Higher Education – 2.28
3) Keeping Virginians Safe from Crime – 2.29
4) Strengthening Virginia’s Transportation System – 3.15
5) Providing Health Care and Other Services for Those in Need – 3.18
7. Should Virginia broaden its tax base by eliminating certain tax exemptions and exceptions, which would in turn allow the Commonwealth to lower the overall tax rate?
Yes – 83%
No – 13%
Undecided – 4%
Illegal Immigration
8. Regarding the use of E-Verify in Virginia to help combat the hiring of illegal aliens, which is closest to your view?
All private sector employers should be required to use E-Verify – 80%
Only private sector employers with state government contracts should be required to use E-Verify – 9%
Private sector employers should not be required to use E-Verify – 9%
Undecided – 2%
9. Should the children of illegal immigrants who were born outside of the United States but were raised in Virginia be eligible for in-state tuition at Virginia’s public universities?
Yes – 17%
No – 81%
Undecided – 2%
Public Safety & Security
10. Regarding Virginia’s laws on firearms, which is closest to your view?
Virginia needs more restrictive laws on firearms – 23%
Virginia needs less restrictive laws on firearms – 26%
Virginia’s current laws on firearms are appropriate – 49%
Undecided – 2%
11. Do you support Drug Courts and other diversion programs intended to reduce recidivism (repeat offender) rates?
Yes – 78%
No – 18%
Undecided – 4%
Health Care
12. Should the General Assembly establish the health benefits exchange during the 2012 Session- before the Supreme Court’s final ruling- or wait for the Supreme Court to make its final ruling before acting?
Establish the exchange during the 2012 Session – 24%
Wait for Supreme Court decision before acting – 74%
Undecided – 2%
Transportation
13. If you believe transportation requires additional funding, are you willing to:
[Note: Responses listed below in order of preference based on the average of all responses for each option: 1= Strongly Agree, 5= Strongly Disagree. The average response for each option is listed in italics.]
1) Build roads with more partnerships between government and the private sector - 2.40
2) Re-prioritize current state funding from other government areas to transportation – 2.46
3) Create tolls on high volume roads - 3.38
4) Pay higher state gas taxes, the primary means of funding the current system - 3.51
14. Do you support the privatization of Virginia’s system of Alcoholic Beverage Control and dedicating the proceeds to transportation?
Yes – 72%
No – 26%
Undecided – 2%
15. Do you support transferring the authority of maintaining roads from the state to localities?
Yes – 38%
No – 58%
Undecided – 4%
Government Reform
16. The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) administers retirement programs for state workers, public school teachers and various local workers and constitutional officers. At present, the VRS is underfunded. Which of the following alternatives would you support to help reform the current Virginia Retirement System?
Moving from a defined benefit system (a traditional pension) to investment in a defined contribution plan (such as a 401(k) or an IRA) – 63% of respondents support
Increasing the employee contribution share for VRS – 59% of respondents support
Raising the age of eligibility for VRS – 46% of respondents support
17. Do you support adding Virginia’s Right-to-Work law to the State Constitution, which would give it greater weight and make it more difficult to undo in the future?
Yes – 79%
No – 18%
Undecided – 3%
Energy & Environment
18. Do you support uranium mining in Virginia?
Yes – 72%
No – 23%
Undecided – 5%
Family Issues
19. Virginia has various laws on abortion. I believe there should be:
More restrictions on abortion – 40%
Fewer restrictions on abortion – 21%
No changes – the laws are appropriate the way they are now – 38%
Undecided – 1%
