2008 Iowa Voter Survey
What do you think about the priority of the following issues that have been brought to the legislature?
Please categorize each of the following issues as High (very important issue), Medium (important, but not a high priority), or Low (the issue is not important at all).
Increased education funding.
Expansion of early childhood education.
Jobs and the economy.
Availability of health care.
Tax reform.
Excessive State government spending.
Reduce crime and fight illegal drugs.
Control of illegal immigration.
Global warming and climate change.
GENERAL ISSUES
RIGHT TO WORK
Iowa's Right to Work Law prevents workers from being forced to pay union dues or join a union to get or
keep their job. There is a plan in the Legislature, called "Fair Share", which will force public employees,
including teachers, to pay union dues even if they do not belong to a union. If they refuse, they will be
fired.
Do you support requiring public employees to pay union dues?
Do you support requiring private employees to pay union dues?
Do you think the Right to Work law should stay as it is now?
ROAD USE TAXES
The Iowa Department of Transportation has issued a report that projects a shortfall in revenues to the
Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) to handle future Iowa road and bridge needs. RUTF funds come from taxes
on motor fuels, registration of vehicles, and driver license fees. How do you feel about RUTF revenues?
Comments on general issues above (not required):
Do you think the current revenues are adequate and no increases are necessary?
One of the proposals is to raise the gas tax 4 cents per gallon, 2 cents in 2008, and another 2 cents in 2010. Current motor fuel taxes are 19th highest in the U.S.
Raising the gas tax a total of 4 cents per gallon?
Raising the gas tax a total of 2 cents per gallon, no more?
How do you feel about:
Do you support raising driver's license fees from the current $4.60 per year?
Another part of the proposal is to raise registration fees on pick-ups and trucks. Current auto registration fees (avg of $75) are 4th highest in the U.S. and pick-up registration (at $65) is also 4th highest in the U.S. Current pick-up registration is lower than auto registration. What is your opinion?
Car registration fees should be increased?
Pick-up registration fees should be increased?
If you support raising pick-up fees:
Should it be raised on parity with automobiles?
Should a special exemption for farmer-owned pick-ups be allowed?
Do you support any combination of these things to pay for road repairs?
What do you suggest?
TAXES
If the Legislature was to reduce taxes, which tax should it reduce?
EDUCATION
How do you feel about problems facing public education in Iowa? Please categorize each of the following issues as High (very big problem), Medium (is a problem, but not a priority), or Low (is not a problem at all).
Low teacher pay.
Not enough money for education.
The lack of funding for preschool classes.
Lack of parent involvement.
Weak or non-challenging curriculum.
Lack of discipline and control in the classroom.
Not enough choice in educational options for children.
Expectations for performance by students too low.
Lack of uniform graduation standards state-wide.
Other:
Eight states currently pay for all high school seniors to take the ACT test. Do you think Iowa should do the same?
LOCAL OPTION TAX
Today, all 99 counties have approved a one-cent local option sales tax for school buildings and construction. Some people are promoting the idea to convert this local tax into a state-wide one-cent tax with the funds being distributed to all of the school districts.
Which of the following is closer to your opinion on this issue?
It is time to make the local option sales taxes for schools a permanent statewide sales tax and spread the money out over all school districts.
Keep the local option on this tax so the people will have to vote to keep it every 10 years.
In addition, 96 of the 99 counties have passed the additional one-cent tax (Project Destiny) for local governments. Dallas County voters heartily rejected this tax in 2007. I am expecting some effort to ask the Legislature to make the local government one-cent tax a statewide tax, as well.
Do you think this local option tax should be made statewide?
FAMILIES
What would you say are the biggest concerns facing Iowa families today? Please categorize each of the following concerns as High (very big concern), Medium (is a concern, but not serious), or Low (is not a concern at all).
Declining quality of public education.
Unsafe neighborhoods.
Rising college tuition.
Cost and availability of quality daycare.
Environment.
Affordable medical insurance.
High taxes that force both spouses to work.
Lack of good-paying jobs.
Comments:
GAY MARRIAGE
Iowa's law banning gay marriage was recently thrown out by the courts. How do you feel about the issue of gay marriage in Iowa?
Do you support an amendment to the Constitution prohibiting gay marriage in Iowa?
The Legislature should allow courts to decide whether gay marriage should be allowed.
The Legislature should pass a law allowing gay marriage in Iowa.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Do you feel illegal immigration is a problem in Iowa?
What should Iowa be focusing its immigration efforts on?
Stopping illegals from getting government benefits.
Finding and deporting illegals.
Helping illegals find jobs and become contributing taxpayers.
Punishing employers who knowingly hire illegals.
Empower local law enforcement to enforce immigration law.
The Federal Gov't needs to do a better job of immigration law enforcement.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Which of the following statements comes closer to your point of view?
State government should do more to solve problems and help meet the needs of the people.
If yes, where do you think more could be done?
State government is doing too many things better left to individuals and businesses.
Comments:
PRISONS / PUBLIC SAFETY
The Legislature will be deciding whether to build a new state prison at a cost of over $300 million. What do you think the Legislature should do?
Build the new prison?
Remodel and update the current state prison?
VOTING
Absentee voting has become more popular in the last few elections. Some are proposing that Iowa allow voting by mail, wherein each registered voter would automatically be sent a ballot to return by mail. Should the Iowa Legislature allow citizens to vote by mail in lieu of the current method of absentee ballots?
SEX OFFENDERS
Should the law prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or childcare facility be repealed, changed, or left alone?
*If you selected changed, how would you suggest it be changed?
ENERGY - PETROLEUM
Oil prices, along with gasoline and diesel prices, have started increasing again. In your opinion, what do you feel is the cause of these increases? Please categorize each of the following issues as High (is a cause), Medium (could be a cause), or Low (is not a cause).
Supply shortage worldwide due to increased use by developing countries:
OPEC manipulation:
Oil company profiteering:
Government interference:
Over-regulation of the industry:
Environmental restrictions related to drilling activities:
What policies, in your opinion, would be the most important to help assure future petroleum related energy supplies? Please categorize each of the following as High (most important), Medium (somewhat important), or Low (not important):
Increased ethanol production:
Increased biodiesel production:
Increased use of biomass:
Increase oil exploration in areas currently closed:
Forced conservation laws:
Drill in ANWR:
Other comments?
ENERGY - ELECTRICITY
Iowans currently get the vast majority of their electricity from coal-fired and nuclear power plants. Some are promoting laws that would restrict new coal-fired plants and prohibit future nuclear plants. Please categorize your position on each of the following, High being most important, Medium being not very important, and Low being not important at all.
Future electricity needs should be met solely through renewable energy sources.
The state should subsidize the production of electricity with wind generators.
The state should allow and encourage the construction of new coal-fired power plants.
New nuclear plants should be allowed and encouraged for our future energy needs.
ENVIRONMENT / GLOBAL WARMING
There have been several initiatives in the Legislature that are motivated by environmental issues. How do you feel about the following? Please categorize each from High to Low, High being you agree, Medium being you somewhat agree, and Low being you do not agree at all.
is caused mainly through human activities.
I feel that global warming and climate change:
is a part of a natural global climatic cycle.
is a major problem for humanity.
will not be a major problem for humanity.
Some are advocating that we pass state laws designed to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050. Given the fact that emissions are created in the process of economic activities such as; farming, harvesting, transportation, manufacturing, lighting, heating and cooling homes and businesses, etc., do you support a forced 50% reduction via new laws?
Additional comments?
YOUR REPRESENTATION / MY REPORT CARD
As your State Representative for the past 5 years, I have been honored to serve and I have tried to represent the best interest of the people in my district. I would like you to give me a candid evaluation of my service so far.
OTHER ISSUES
I would appreciate your comments on any issue(s) you feel is important for the legislature to deal with.
Thank you for participating in this poll. I appreciate the input from my constituents. Please feel free to contact me anytime by phone or by email.
Repr. Ralph Watts
993-4850 (H)
281-3221 (During legislative session)
ralph.watts@legis.state.ia.us
This is a special voter survey to determine your opinions regarding some of the issues expected to be in the 2008 session of the Iowa Legislature. It will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. If you need to leave the survey before you hit the submit button, your answers cannot be saved. Also, I would appreciate it if you could take the time to complete a report card for me at the end of the survey. Thank you for your time, and I am proud to represent District 47. 
Representative Ralph Watts
Too many school districts (+/- 360) in Iowa.
Teen pregnancies.
Availability of abortion on demand.
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