With budget deficits created by the COVID-19 pandemic, legislators and political officials across the commonwealth are facing difficult choices. Demands for government services have soared, while revenue projections are uncertain. State and local government are on the frontlines of the public sector response to the crisis as businesses close, unemployment remains high, and a historic public health crisis sweeps across the state.

On Wednesday, January 13, The MassINC Polling Group (MPG) presented the results from a survey of Massachusetts voters on state’s budget priorities, revenue sources, and more. What services do voters prioritize most? Where do they want the state to invest? What specific responses to the challenges posted by the pandemic do they want to see? Do they think the state’s tax system is fair? Where do they see revenue coming from in the future?

MPG President Steve Koczela unpacked the results of the survey, helping us understand where Massachusetts voters stand on the issues, and digging into differences by race, income, and other factors. The pandemic has exposed and widened gaps in the state, and the survey takes a hard look at how these gaps are shaping opinion.

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The MassINC Polling Group Slides

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