Business

41% Favor 10% Pay Cuts for State Workers, 42% Oppose

Though three out of four Americans nationwide acknowledge that their state is in a budget crisis, they are evenly divided when it comes to cutting the salaries of state workers.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 41% favor a 10% pay cut for all state employees in order to help reduce spending in their state. Forty-two percent (42%) are opposed to the idea while 17% more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

October Employment Index Shows Less Confidence Among Workers

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, slipped two points in October to 71.7.

The Employment Index is still up two points from August’ recent low of 69.3, but worker confidence is down five points from the beginning of 2011 and six points from last October. Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be worse than prior months.

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The survey of 8,501 working Americans was conducted in October 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .

Only 22% Support Giving States $35 Billion to Prevent Teacher, First Responder Layoffs

President Obama is pushing Congress to pass his plan to give $35 billion to state and local governments to prevent layoffs of teachers and first responders such as firemen, policemen and rescue squad workers. But most Americans think state and local governments should tighten their financial belts instead.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of Americans think the federal government should give states and localities $35 billion to prevent such layoffs. Nearly three times as many adults (64%) believe that the best way for state and local governments to avoid these layoffs is to cut back on other spending. Fourteen percent (14%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

61% Favor Simpler Tax Code, But Have Doubts About Flat Tax Plans

Voters want a simpler and fairer tax system but give generally negative reviews to flat tax proposals.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely U.S. Voters agree, however, that it’s a good idea to get rid of the existing income tax code and replace it with something simpler. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 16% disagree with the idea of a simpler tax code, while 23% are not sure.

Public Has Mixed Views of Return to Gold Standard

An increasing number of Republican presidential candidates are now talking about returning the U.S. monetary system to the gold standard, but voters send mixed signals about such a move. Most like the idea, though, when they’re told it would reduce government control of the economy.

34% Have Favorable Opinion of the Fed

Most voters don’t like the Federal Reserve, the nation’s central banking system, which at least one presidential candidate would like to abolish.

New High: 80% Say Now Isn’t Time To Sell Home

Though the government reported a modest climb in housing starts in September, the number of adults nationwide who say now is not the time to sell a home has reached an all-time high.

34% Say Their Home Is Worth Less Than What They Still Owe

One-out-of three U.S. homeowners continue to say their home is worth less than what they owe on it.

Confidence in Future Home Values Remains Shaky

Homeowners continue to worry about the short- and long-term value of their homes, with findings still below what they were two years ago.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. homeowners shows that just 16% believe their home’s value will go up over the next year. That’s up slightly from 13% in September and August and is the highest level of confidence since June. Still, this finding was above 20% for much of 2009.

54% Still See Bailouts As Bad for the Country

Voters are closely divided over the role they want the federal government to play in the current economy, but they remain positive that bailouts are one way they don’t want to go.

53% Favor Tax Code That Treats All Taxpayers Equally

Most voters like the concept behind a flat tax more than the complicated tax system the United States has today with numerous deductions and breaks for certain businesses.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s more important for the government to treat all taxpayers equally than for the tax code to be used to encourage things like home ownership, charitable contributions and industries favored by government policy. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and believe the government should use the tax code to advance its agenda in certain areas. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

47% Favor Candidate Who Raises Taxes on Wealthy Over One Who Opposes All Tax Increases

More voters support a candidate who plans to raise taxes for the wealthiest Americans over one who promises to oppose all tax increases.

59% Lack Confidence In Fed To Keep Inflation, Interest Rates Down

While few Americans report paying higher interest rates than they did a year ago, they still lack confidence in the Federal Reserve Board to keep interest rates down and inflation under control.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 33% are at least somewhat confident that the Fed will be able to keep inflation under control and interest rates down, including just seven percent (7%) who are Very Confident.

51% Say U.S. Economy Can Still Recover Despite Europe’s Troubles

The United States is putting pressure on Europe to deal with its debt crisis as quickly as possible to avoid a global economic meltdown. Though most Americans expect at least one of the European countries to default on its debt in the next few years, half believe it’s still possible for the U.S. economy to recover even if Europe’s remains in trouble.

New Low: 35% Confident in U.S. Banking System

Confidence in the stability of the nation’s banking industry has fallen to a new low. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that just 35% are even somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry.

Most Still Think Government Workers Better Off Than Those in Private Sector

Most Americans nationwide continue to believe that government workers get more pay and better job security but don’t work as hard as their counterparts in the private sector.

56% of GOP Voters Like Cain’s ‘9-9-9’ Tax Reform Plan

Voters aren’t well versed on surging Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” tax reform plan, but most agree that if it becomes law, Congress won’t wait long to raise the tax rates higher.

32% Say Government Should Do Nothing for the Long-Term Unemployed

Americans continue to have mixed feelings about how the government should respond to the long-term unemployed. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that 32% feel the government should do nothing at all, while 25% think it should pay for their retraining. Ten percent (10%) say the government should extend unemployment benefits indefinitely, and 21% think the government should hire those long out of work, down from June's high-to-date of 24%.

60% Oppose Financial Bailouts; 74% Say Wall Street Benefited Most

The bailouts of the financial industry still leave a sour taste in the mouths of most Americans who feel as strongly as ever that the government was looking out for bankers rather than taxpayers and that crimes on Wall Street remain unpunished.

26% Have Favorable Opinion of Bernanke, 51% Unfavorable

Half of Americans nationwide believe the Federal Reserve Board chairman has too much power over the economy. Meanwhile, favorability ratings for current Chairman Ben Bernanke are at their lowest level yet recorded.