A new Marquette University Law School poll released Thursday shows the majority of Wisconsin residents disapprove of the cuts to the University of Wisconsin System and K-12 schools.
Seventy percent disapprove of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed $300 million cut to the UW System, while 26 percent are in support of the cuts, according to the poll.
Walker’s proposal has generated much controversy, with lawmakers, faculty members and students debating the effects of the cuts.
What Walker’s UW budget cuts and increased autonomy means for students and faculty
Assembly Minority Leader, Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said in a statement he was encouraged to see the opposition to the cuts to the UW System and K-12 schools and to see the support for Wisconsin schools.
“It’s high time for Republicans to join with Democrats to rewrite the budget,” Barca said. “A budget is about priorities and Wisconsin must prioritize economic opportunity, infrastructure, opportunities for our children and strong communities.”
Walker has proposed cutting $127 million from the K-12 public school budget. The poll said 78 percent oppose the cuts, while 18 percent support them.
The poll interviewed 803 registered Wisconsin voters by cell phone and landline between April 7-10. The margin of error is +/- 3.5 percentage points.
In a conference call from Spain, Walker said the state budget will look better after the Legislative Fiscal Bureau releases new revenue estimates, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. He said the additional anticipated revenue could go to the cuts to K-12 schools, with maybe some left over to adjust the cuts to UW System.
“There will be new revenue, the question is just how much,” Walker said.
The poll also found that Walker’s approval rating is at 41 percent. This has dropped from the October poll, when Walker held an approval rating of 49 percent. According to the poll, 56 percent disapprove of how he is handling his job as governor, compared to 47 percent in October.
Walker said his low approval numbers were because of the budget process, where he said many governors see lower approval ratings.
The poll also included approval rates for Walker’s expected presidential bid in 2016. In Wisconsin, the poll shows Walker trails Hillary Clinton, who recently announced her candidacy for president. Walker is at 40 percent, while Clinton is at 52 percent.
Walker signed the controversial right-to-work legislation in March, after a number of protests took place at the Capitol. According to the poll, 44 percent said they support right-to-work, while 50 percent were opposed.
Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, said in a statement that while Walker may be succeeding in other states for his presidential campaign, his policies are failing for people in Wisconsin.
“Whether it is his continued cuts to public schools, his continued assault on our UW campuses, his plan to lift the caps on voucher schools or his attack on our long held tradition of environmental stewardship the people see his budget for what it is: a blueprint for his presidential run at the expense of average people,” Hansen said.
