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According to a new poll by USC Donrslife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and The Los Angeles Times, one in three California voters have seen a major impact on their lives because of the severe drought. On the other hand, 92 percent of overall voters feel the California drought is a major problem for the state.
When the poll was conducted this time last year, only 22 percent said the drought had a major impact on their life.
“Last year, Californians thought the drought was a problem for the politicians to handle,” said Dan Schnur, director of the poll and director of the Unruh Institute of Politics of USC. “This year, it’s a daily challenge in our own lives.”
Voters, however, feel that water rates are high enough as it is. When they were asked how they would feel about increasing water rates, they responded negatively. 46 percent, however, said they would be willing to pay more for water if it ensured reliable, long-term water supply.
Those who were polled viewed Governor Jerry Brown’s mandatory water cutbacks as a favorable action to help curb the impact of the severe drought.
“Clearly as the state has put in the mandatory measures and implemented Gov. Brown’s policy, people are actually feeling this in their everyday lives. But California may be reaching the end of their rope in terms of the personal sacrifices they are making,” Drew Lieberman, vice president of Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner said.
Voters across the board had one common theme: they favor policies that involve using recycled water, improving the ability to capture storm water and investing in desalination plants.
