Poll Finds Most Americans Want Infrastructure Paid for With Offsets

WASHINGTON – Nine in 10 registered voters want federal infrastructure plans to be paid for with offsets, including clearly identified spending cuts or revenue raisers, a new Peterson Foundation poll found.

And the result holds true for 86% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 95% of Republicans, the nonpartisan fiscal watchdog says.

The national survey was conducted by the Global Strategy Group, a Democratic firm, and North Star Opinion Research, a Republican firm, June 22-24.

It also found that a majority of voters want lawmakers to make good on their promises to fully fund infrastructure investments, with 70% agreeing they do not want a federal infrastructure bill passed if it will increase the national debt.

This opinion was shared by 59% of Democrats, 66% of Independents and 84% of Republicans, the Peterson Foundation said.

The release of the poll comes as Senate Democrats eye a vote on the proposed bipartisan infrastructure plan, potentially as soon as the week of July 19.

At the same time, lawmakers are preparing a potential reconciliation bill that would include components of the $2.6 trillion American Jobs Plan outlined in March by the Biden administration.

In the past, Michael Peterson, the foundation’s CEO, has said lawmakers should work together to develop pay-fors that are legitimate and credible, in order to achieve the necessary cost savings to offset the cost of the proposals.

Commenting on the survey results on Thursday, Peterson said it underscores the fact Americans “across party lines understand that fiscal responsibility is an essential component of effective leadership and policy making.” 

“While bipartisanship is important, so is our high and rising national debt. As the White House and lawmakers pursue a bipartisan infrastructure package and potentially a larger reconciliation bill, voters are calling for our leaders to pay for their priorities,” he continued.

“Vast majorities of Americans understand that fiscal sustainability is essential for a stronger economy over the long term,” Peterson concluded.

The online poll included 1,000 registered voters nationwide. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.