Kasich’s approval rating is below the levels enjoyed by the last three governors when they were in the early days of their administrations. The Ohio Poll registered 68 percent approval for Democrat Ted Strickland in May 2007, 49 percent approval for Republican Bob Taft in March 1999 and 61 percent approval for Republican George Voinovich in February 1991.
Democrat Richard Celeste’s approval rating in April 1983 was below Kasich’s at 32 percent, the poll said. At the time, Ohio’s unemployment rate was 13.5 percent. The state’s unemployment rate, as of January 2011, is 9.4 percent.
Scott Milburn, the governor’s communications director, had no comment on the poll, except to say that “we didn’t comment on polls during the election and we don’t comment on them now.”
Kasich, a Republican who was elected governor in January, is due to release his first budget proposal tomorrow . He has promised to balance the two-year operating budget with significant reforms, spending cuts and no tax increases.
The Ohio Poll found that 53 percent of adults want the budget balanced through spending cuts and tax increases, 35 percent favor solely spending cuts, 6 percent favor solely tax increases and 6 percent had no opinion.
One-third of those who favor spending cuts named “funding for local government” as the area they would most like to see spending reduced, 15 percent said prisons and public safety and 13 percent said colleges and universities. Only 5 percent named libraries as an area to cut.
The survey showed Kasich as having stronger approval ratings among Republicans — 65 percent — than among Democrats — 25 percent. Among independents, Kasich has a 30 percent approval rating, the poll found.
The telephone survey, conducted between March 1 and March 9, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent. A random sample of 908 adults were interviewed.
Cincinnati Enquirer writer Howard Wilkinson contributed to this story.
Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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