O'Bannon's approval rating at all-time low

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Frank O'Bannon's job approval rating has dropped to 41 percent, the lowest level during his six years in office and a 10-percent decline since November, according to a statewide poll released Tuesday.\nBut the poll by the Public Opinion Laboratory at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis also shows that 68 percent of respondents believe there is a state budget crisis, and 49 percent blame the Legislature for failing to address it or property tax reform.\nTwenty-four percent blame O'Bannon, and 15 percent blame lawmakers and the governor.\n"People are angry. They want something done about the budget crisis," pollster Brian Vargus said. "They do not know exactly what the nature of the crisis is, except there is no money."\n"They're just angry, but they don't quite know why."\nThe telephone survey of 803 registered voters was conducted Thursday through Monday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. The sample was composed of 35 percent Republicans, 35 percent Democrats, 23 percent independents, 4 percent of another party and 3 percent with no party identification.\nVargus said O'Bannon's job approval has slipped from above 60 percent in an IUPUI poll last June to 51 percent in November to this month's new low. The ratings are driven in large part by party allegiance and likely reflect the sluggish economy and news about the budget deficit, he said.\nSixty-eight percent of respondents said there was a budget crisis and 59 percent said it warranted legislative action, but there was little agreement on what should be done.\nWhen asked an open-ended question of what action the Legislature and/or governor should take, about 10 percent favored a tax increase of some sort. The next-largest category of responses -- at 5 percent -- was people who said cut waste.\nAbout 4 percent said a special legislative session should be convened. Three percent specifically objected to cutting any education spending.\nDuring the session that ended March 14, O'Bannon was unsuccessful in getting lawmakers to raise taxes on cigarettes and casinos to help shore up a projected $1.3 billion budget deficit.\n Lawmakers also failed to compromise on proposals to raise some taxes in order to make substantial cuts in property taxes. The proposals were aimed at shielding homeowners from court-ordered changes in assessments and much higher property tax bills next year.\nLast week, O'Bannon announced $332 million in spending cuts he plans to make to help close the budget gap. That was on top of $782 million in cuts he already announced, and more cuts are to be detailed Thursday.\nBut in the poll, people named few specific programs that should be cut. Less than 1 percent each indicated the state should cut Medicaid, the Build Indiana Fund, state employees' salaries, education or welfare.\nSome of the cuts recommended by respondents were more specifically aimed at the Legislature and governor, such as cutting their salaries.\nAlthough most agreed there was a budget crisis, only 43 percent said they followed the Legislature closely or very closely.\n"It's a classic case of voters not being aware of the state Legislature," said Brianne O'Brien, field director for the polling project.\nOne person said the most pressing problem facing state government was the need to rehire Bob Knight, one said more guns were needed and one cited a need to pull out of Afghanistan.\nMary Dieter, Gov. O'Bannon's press secretary, said she was pleased the poll showed that most people recognize there is a budget problem.\n"We're not terribly concerned about approval ratings or disapproval ratings," Dieter said. "Any time people take gutsy positions, you might suffer a little bit in polls, but that's not what being a leader is about"