A new poll shows water is the No. 1 issue Arizonans want lawmakers to prioritize.
The poll was conducted at the end of April by a conservative firm called Cygnal and was commissioned by Audubon Southwest — which is an office of the National Audubon Society, a nonprofit focused on environmental protection and conservation.
The poll asked respondents what their top issues are and what they want state lawmakers to focus on in their budget.
Cygnal Senior Partner and Lead Pollster Chris Lane said the responses are striking.
“I have seen inflation and cost of living and immigration and the border be the top issues in almost every single state in the country for the better part of a decade. But introducing the idea of water supply and the Colorado River protection, not only does it stand out, it is the No. 1 issue,” he said.
Water was the top legislative priority for Democrats and independents and the second-highest priority for Republicans, after the border/immigration.
Haley Paul, Audubon Southwest senior director for policy, said in a statement that the results amount to a clear mandate from voters on what lawmakers should be doing as they craft this year’s state budget, which they are in the process of doing.
Just over 94% of respondents said they think the state Legislature should “make water security and addressing water scarcity (or water supply issues) in the Colorado River a priority in the upcoming state budget.” And 92% said they’re concerned about the state’s water supply.
“Arizonans from every political stripe are sending a clear signal to the state Capitol: Arizona water security must be a defining issue of this budget. Voters expect state lawmakers to act now to secure state funding to protect the Colorado River and help stabilize the system in the wake of this dry winter,” Paul stated.
The poll had over 1,000 respondents from across the political spectrum.
“Getting 90% of people to agree on anything is extremely difficult right now. And, but this is so true for every single demographic group, every part of the state, every part of the political spectrum,” Lane said.
The poll also asked whether respondents support Arizona having a “Colorado River protection fund,” something Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs proposed in January.
The proposed fund would “help keep water in Lake Mead, compensate water users who voluntarily reduce their water use, and invest in projects that improve the health of both rivers and forests.” In the poll, 75% of respondents said they support creating the fund.
Arizona had an existing Colorado River fund for potential litigation, which the state can dip into if and when it engages in a lawsuit.
Lane said this is the first time Cygnal has included water security as a category for Arizona voters selecting their priorities, so it’s not clear whether this has become a top issue all of a sudden, or whether it’s been top of mind for Arizonans all along.
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