MEMORANDUM

DATE:        JUNE 20, 2011

TO:             PUBLIC NOTICE

FROM:      THE TARRANCE GROUP

RE:             KEY FINDINGS FROM NATIONAL SURVEY

The Tarrance Group is pleased to present Public Notice with the key findings from a survey of N=804 registered “likely” voters across the country.  Interviews were conducted June 5-8, 2011, and the margin of error on a sample of this type is +/- 3.5%.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REGULATION

Cost of Regulations

Respondents were asked who they believe is most impacted by the costs created by federal regulations – consumers, business, or the federal government itself.  Six in ten voters, fifty-nine percent (59%), indicate they believe that federal regulations create costs that end up being paid by “consumers.”

Only 15% of respondents believe costs from federal regulations end up being paid by “businesses.”  While only 7% believe that the costs of regulations end up being borne by the federal government itself, only 8% believe that federal regulations do not create any costs.

The view that the costs of federal regulations are disproportionately borne by consumers is fairly universal across the electorate; a view held by 50% or better of voters in every region of the country and among all key voter groups.

Partisan Democrats demonstrate a slightly higher propensity to believe that these costs do not create any costs for consumers or business (11%) or the costs are borne by the federal government itself (11%).

Regulatory Impact on Energy Costs

As part of the line of inquiry on federal regulations, respondents were asked (using a split sample methodology) about the level of impact that current regulations have on energy prices and the impact that future regulations would have on energy prices.  The results of these two questions are profiled in the chart below:

Current Regulations:                                               Future Regulations:

Increase costs         66%                                                    Increase costs           59%

No impact               22%                                                     No impact                  24%

Decrease costs          3%                                                    Decrease costs             9%

As you can see from the chart, two-thirds of the electorate believes that existing regulations have increased the cost of gasoline and energy, and six in ten (59%) believe that future regulations would lead to even higher costs of gasoline and energy.

The view that current federal regulations have increased the cost of gasoline and energy reaches 74% in the Western portion of the country, 71% in the South Central and 67% in the Northeast.

There are no gender or age gaps on this measure, indicating a broad consensus of voters agree that current regulations have increased the costs for gasoline and energy.  A solid majority of Democrats, fifty-five percent (55%), believe that current federal regulations have increased the cost of gasoline and energy, and this belief rises to 62% among Independent voters, and to fully 84% among partisan Republicans.

The belief that “new” federal regulations would further increase the costs of gas and energy is lower across the board.  While 84% of Republicans believe that current regulations have increased energy costs, only seventy percent (70%) believe that new regulations would further increase costs.

Gas Tax to Reduce Carbon Emissions

When respondents were told that consumers currently pay an average of fifty cents in state and federal taxes per gallon of gasoline, they were then asked how much more in gas taxes, if any, they would be willing to pay as a means of further reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a way to address global warming.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters indicated that they would be opposed to any increase in the federal gas tax as a way of further reducing greenhouse gas emissions.   There are 11% who indicate they could live with a 10 cent hike, 6% who could accept a 20 cent hike, 10% might accept a 50 cent increase, and only 4% would accept a $1.00 increase in the federal gas taxes.

A majority of voters in every region of the nation indicate that they would be opposed to any increase in federal gas taxes, and this view rises to approximately 70% among voters in the Northeast and South regions of the country.  Opposition to an increase in the gas tax stands at 74% among rural voters, 66% among suburban voters, and 52% among urban voters.

Opposition to an increase in the federal gas tax to help combat greenhouse gas emissions increases with the age of the voter, rising from 56% among 18-44 year old voters to a high of seventy-two percent (72%) among senior citizens.

Almost half of Democrats, forty-six percent (46%), indicate that they are opposed to any increase in the federal gas tax.  This opposition rises to sixty-five percent (65%) among Independent voters, and tops out at eighty-three percent (83%) among Republicans.   It should also be noted that a majority of 55+ Democrats (52%) indicate that they are opposed to any increase in the federal gas tax.

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BA