Phil Matier: Budget Deadlock Takes Toll On Legislature's Standing

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Very few Californians approve of the job the state legislature has done since Gov. Jerry Brown took office.

A poll of 600 adults by SurveyUSA released Wednesday shows 76 percent disapprove of the legislature's performance while 13 percent approve.

KCBS and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier credited the budget deadlock for the continued poor showing.

KCBS And Chronicle Insider Phil Matier Comments:

"First of all," Matier comments, "the Legislature does take the brunt of the abuse when the governor can't get a special election or can't get something done. He may be saying it's the Republicans but for the population out there it pretty much comes down to the Legislature. It's just a group thing."

He says there seems to be a fundamental reluctance by the lawmakers to get involved with big problems such as pension reform.

Those numbers are an improvement compared to June of 2010, when a different poll by the Public Policy Institute of California put the legislature's approval rating at an historic low of 9 percent.

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