BOSTON -- A majority of Massachusetts voters would be willing to pay higher taxes to address inequalities in public education, according to a new poll, which also found a majority of respondents believe general travel conditions in the area have gotten worse.
As lawmakers again weigh major changes to how K-12 schools are funded, Boston Globe-Suffolk University poll results released Tuesday found that 58 percent of respondents would be willing to shoulder more in state taxes to help close gaps in education funding.
About 35 percent said they would not support higher taxes for education.
The poll, based on a sample of 600 registered voters, found voters agree that action is needed. By more than a two-to-one margin, respondents said public schools are underfunded. Asked to rank the severity of public-school inequity on a scale of one to 10, almost 70 percent rated the situation a five or higher.
A majority of respondents also said they would be willing to see their local districts receive less to grant better support to districts in lower-income communities, with 51 percent in favor and 37 percent opposed.
Asked if they believed public K-12 schools in their own districts were adequately funded, 43.7 percent said yes and 45.8 percent said no. Also, almost 62 percent of respondents said the high schools in their district were doing an excellent or good job preparing students for college.
Legislators are trying to reach consensus on how to address significant flaws in the current foundation budget formula identified by a state commission in 2015. There's been talk of a major legislative proposal emerging this month, but legislative leaders have not committed to a timeline.
About 53 percent of respondents said they were very or somewhat optimistic that state leaders can fix education inequality in Massachusetts.
While major K-12 education funding increases are expected in next year's state budget, lawmakers have not zeroed in on any new, near-term revenue sources and House leaders say they plan to debate revenue options later this year.
Other results of the poll, which was taken June 6-9, include:
61 percent said general travel, including commuting to work and school, has gotten worse over the past five years.
Gov. Charlie Baker was viewed favorably by 69 percent of voters, and 67 percent said he should seek a third term. Suffolk poll director David Paleologos said Baker "has become the Teflon Republican in Massachusetts." Paleologos said, "Despite voter frustration on the issues of education and transportation, Baker continues to defy the statistical odds of a Republican with five straight years of sky-high favorability."
In the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, the poll results broke down as follows: former Vice President Joe Biden 22 percent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren 10 percent, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg 8 percent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 6 percent, and California Sen. Kamala Harris 5 percent. Nineteen other candidates split the remaining 7 percent of decided voters, while 42 percent of likely Democratic voters were undecided.
Pollsters also asked respondents about a hypothetical, two-person 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary between Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Attorney General Maura Healey. Walsh registered 36 percent support to Healey's 34 percent, with 28 percent undecided.
Asked if the U.S. House of Representatives should seriously consider impeaching President Donald Trump, 41.7 percent said yes and 48.7 percent said no.
Among the respondents, 207 were registered Democrats, 67 were registered Republicans and 306 were unenrolled or independent. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percent.