As the legislature considers the governor’s mid-year funding cut proposals, and in anticipation of funding priority decisions to be made in the governor’s proposed budget in January, the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) is re-releasing an expanded analysis of a statewide poll conducted by the Field Research Corporation on behalf of CHCF in July 2003.

The survey, conducted with a random sample of 1,500 Californians, covered such issues as where health care programs rank in public concerns compared to other program areas for state and local government spending cutbacks; which health care programs and services should be a priority for the administration and legislature; which programs and services Californians would be willing to pay higher taxes to preserve; and what types of taxes they would support. Findings are broken down by political and demographic subgroups and presented in an easy-to-read slide format.

Mark D. Smith, M.D., M.B.A., CHCF president and CEO said, "We hope that this information is useful to policymakers and others who are considering difficult funding tradeoffs, but are committed to ensuring that Californians have access to affordable, quality health care."