2011 Survey Of AARP Members In Texas About The State Budget Shortfall

AARP’s Texas State Office, in response to its commitment to protect funding for long-term care services for older Texans, commissioned this survey to explore the views of its members on the Texas state budget shortfall. 

Key findings include:

• Most AARP members in Texas are aware that the State of Texas is currently facing a budget deficit and have seen, heard, or read about the state budget recently.

• Three in four AARP members in Texas would oppose cuts to health and human services as an approach to balance the state budget; 15 percent would support such cuts; and 8 percent are not sure.

• Well over the majority of members – regardless of political party affiliation – say they oppose such cuts (Democrats, 89%; Republicans, 70%; Independents, 73%).

• Two in three AARP members in Texas think the Rainy Day Fund should be used to help balance the state budget. Of these members, 49 percent think that half of the Rainy Day Fund should be used, 26 percent think that all of the Rainy Day Fund should be used, and 19 percent think some other proportion of the Rainy Day Fund should be used. The majority of members – regardless of political party affiliation – say they think the Rainy Day Fund should be used (Democrats, 77%; Republicans, 57%; Independents, 68%).

• Top budget priorities for AARP members in Texas are education (primary and secondary) and health and human services; 41 percent say their top budget priority is education for Kindergarten through 12th grade and 28 percent say their top budget priority is health and human services, including long-term care services for older persons.

These results are based on a telephone survey, fielded January 25 through February 5, 2011 of AARP members in Texas, conducted by Woelfel Research, Inc.  Please contact Terri Guengerich at 202-434-6306 for more information.