California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and State House Speaker Fabio Nunez are backing a health insurance expansion bill that would provide coverage for the uninsured and require all residents obtain a health plan.
To fund the insurance expansion, the bill would raise the state tax on cigarettes by $2. But before the law can raise any taxes in California, the voters have to approve.
A recent poll found that residents support the tax increase in a two-to-one margin, reported the Sacramento Bee.
“What’s remarkable is the broad base of support for the general outlines of the plan, ” said Mark DiCamillo, the field poll director.
DiCamillo also said the support is bipartisan — 74% of Democrats, 52% of Republicans, and 59% of independent voters in California support the tax increase.
“There are too many uninsured Americans on a regular basis, and too many who are underserved, ” said Robert Chason, a California health care consultant. “The system is broken, and it’s time we fix it. ”