Utah voters do not favor President Trump’s plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico if taxpayer funds are used to build it.
A new UtahPolicy.com survey finds that 58% of Utah voters oppose the border wall if taxpayer funds are used to cover the cost. 47% of Utah voters say they are “strongly opposed” to using taxpayer funds for the wall.
President Trump repeatedly promised during the presidential campaign that Mexico would pay the cost for the construction of the border wall. Mexican officials have openly derided that idea.
In the recently passed omnibus spending bill included $1.6 billion for the border wall, but much of that money can only be used to repair existing fence, not build new barriers. President Trump had threatened to veto the omnibus bill because it did not include the $25 billion he wanted for wall construction.
President Trump floated the idea of using pentagon funds for construction of the wall, but repurposing those funds would require congressional approval.
The Deseret News reported on Wednesday Reps. Chris Stewart and Rob Bishop oppose using military funds to pay for Trump’s wall. Stewart was quoted as saying “Congress will never allow that to happen.”
Republican voters in Utah are supportive of using taxpayer funds for construction of the border wall, while Democrats and independents are strongly opposed.
- 57% of Republican voters in Utah support having taxpayers foot the bill for the border wall.
- 95% of Utah Democrats “strongly” oppose using taxpayer money for construction of the wall.
- 70% of independent voters oppose taxpayer funds going toward wall construction, including 56% who say they are “strongly” opposed.
On the ideological spectrum, those further to the right politically favor using public funds for the border wall while Utahns in the center and on the left are opposed.
- 76% of “very conservative” Utahns support using taxpayer money for the wall, including 50% who say they “strongly” support the idea.
- 51% of those who say they are “somewhat conservative” oppose using public money on the wall while 44% say they are supportive.
- 74% of self-described moderates oppose spending taxpayer money on the border wall. That includes 57% who are “strongly” opposed.
- 95% of “somewhat liberal” Utahns oppose making taxpayers pay for the wall, including 92% who are “strongly” opposed.
- 93% of “very liberal” voters in Utah are “strongly” opposed to public monies going toward the wall.
The Dan Jones & Associates poll was conducted February 9-16, 2018 among 609 registered Utah voters with a margin of error of 4%.
