Survey Highlights

• 47% of Minnesota voters and 39% of Minnesota Realtors feel Minnesota is on the WRONG track
• Only 11% of voters and 12% of Realtors feel holding the line on taxes and balancing the state budget are the most important issues for the Governor and State Legislature to deal with
• 28% of voters and 25% of Realtors agree improving education is more important than any other issue, and
• 36% of voters and 34% of Realtors identified K-12 education as the most important state funding priority
• 58% of voters and 39% of Realtors agree public education would improve with increased funding
• 44% of voters and Realtors alike agree reducing class sizes should be the highest education spending priority for the state

At the same time, 44% of voters and 46% of Realtors strongly agree the Governor should keep his promise and not raise taxes. Although 27% of voters and Realtors alike admit they would be willing to pay an additional $500 or less in taxes, 32% don’t want to see their own taxes increase at all.

When given a choice between types of increases, all respondents favored user fees over any other type of increase. When asked whether local government services should be provided for by the state or local taxes, 46% of voters said the state; 41% said the local community and 39% of Realtors said the state, 53% said the local community.

Whether or not to increase education funding isn't the issue, this survey shows Minnesotan's agree public education should be the highest priority of the state. At the same time, the respondents are mixed about whether local government services should be provided for by state or local taxes.

If we truly value community engagement and want to have an informed voice in public policy decisions, we need to be asking ourselves whether or not we want to stand behind the vision that every child in Minnesota is entitled to a good public education regardless of where she or he might live.

March 2005 - Voter-Member Survey, Minnesota Association of Realtors.