Survey: Spending cuts 1st choice of Arizonans

A survey indicates that most Arizonans’ first choice for balancing the state budget is to cut spending.

The Pew Center on the States is releasing the study it conducted with the Public Policy Institute for California.

Of the 1,003 adult Arizonans surveyed by phone in June, 77 percent chose cutting spending, with much smaller percentages favoring raising taxes and borrowing.

However, 83 percent said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the effect of spending reductions on government services.

Majorities said they would pay higher taxes to maintain current funding for K-12 school and health and human services. Not so for higher education, prisons and transportation.

The survey has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.