Arizona polls of likely voters favor Invest in Ed, legalized marijuana

PHOENIX – Two polls of likely Arizona voters each found that more than half would vote to raise taxes on the state’s rich to fund education and also legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Phoenix-based OH Predictive Insights’ survey released Thursday showed 55% of the participants said they supported Proposition 208, aka Invest in Ed, by surcharging wealthier households. Only 39% were against the initiative. A poll conducted by Monmouth University in New Jersey showed 68% support and 28% against.

The two polls were closer to matching on marijuana Prop 207. Monmouth showed 56% said they would vote “yes” to 36% with no while 55% told OH Predictive Insights they would vote for the measure and 37% were against it.

“If you’re a ballot initiative above 50%, that’s a good place to be going into early voting,” OH Predictive Insights chief pollster Mike Noble said Wednesday to KTAR News 92.3 FM.

If passed, Prop. 208 would impose a 3.5% tax surcharge on incomes over $250,000 for single filers or married couples filing separately. Income jumps to $500,000 for married couples filing jointly or heads of households.

OH Predictive polling on the marijuana issue has shown large swings in recent months.

The firm’s September survey, which asked about legalizing marijuana without including the language of the ballot initiative, showed supporters leading by just 46%-45%.

But a similar poll from July found 62%-32% in favor of legalization.

OH Predictive Insights’ latest poll was made up of 241 Republicans, 206 Democrats and 104 independents.
The Phoenix researchers’ phone poll of 608 was conducted Oct. 4-8. The margin of error was plus/minus 4%. Monmouth’s phone poll of 502 was conducted Oct. 9-13. The poll has a margin of error plus/minus 4.4%.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Debra Dale contributed to this report.

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