* Paul Simon Public Policy Institute…

Two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents said they favored a constitutional change “to allow a graduated income tax—that is, tax rates would be lower for lower-income taxpayers and higher for upper-income taxpayers.” Support was robust, with 44 percent strongly favoring and 21 percent somewhat favoring the proposal. About a third (32 percent) opposed the proposal, 24 percent strongly and 8 percent somewhat opposed.

Support for the graduated income tax proposal reached majority levels in all three of the major geographic breakdowns in Illinois: 73 percent in favor in the City of Chicago, 68 percent favorable in the Chicago suburbs and 55 percent favorable downstate. Partisan differences were more stark with 83 percent of Democrats favoring the graduated tax system, compared with only half that level of support among Republicans (41 percent). Roughly six in ten (59 percent) Independents favor the graduated tax. […]

A bare majority (51 percent) favored a constitutional amendment that would allow a reduction in retirement benefits earned in the future by state workers. About a quarter (24 percent) strongly favored, and 27 percent somewhat favored a proposal that “would preserve state retirement benefits already earned by public employees, but would also allow a reduction in the benefits earned in the future, whether by current or future employees.” More than a third (37 percent) opposed the proposal.

The pension-reduction question received majority support in Chicago (55 percent) and its suburbs (51 percent), and plurality support Downstate (48 percent). The variation occurs among partisan groups: below a majority among Democrats (48 percent) and independents (47 percent), with much more enthusiasm among Republicans (61 percent favor).

1,000 voters, MoE of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, mobile phone users were 60 percent of those polled. We’ve discussed some problems with this poll before. A big one is the sample was 56 percent male and 44 percent female. Another is that Chicago is underrepresented and the poll skewed older.

* Questions…

Some people have proposed an amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would preserve state retirement benefits already earned by public employees, but would also allow a reduction in the benefits earned in the future, whether by current or future employees?

Favor 51%

Strongly favor 24%
Somewhat favor 27%

Oppose 37%

Somewhat oppose 17%
Strongly oppose 20%

Other/don’t know 12%

Would you favor or oppose a proposal to change the Illinois Constitution to allow a graduated income tax – that is, tax rates would be lower for lower-income taxpayers and higher for upper-income taxpayers?

Favor 65%

Strongly favor 44%
Somewhat favor 21%

Oppose 32%

Somewhat oppose 8%
Strongly oppose 24%

Other/don’t know 3%

Low levels of undecideds on the tax question and high numbers of “strongly favor.”

We’ll get to some of the other questions later today.