http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4057715

immigration
Immigration at forefront
Poll: Issue is state voters' most urgent
By Karen E. Crummy
Denver Post Staff Writer
DenverPost.com

Immigration is the single most important issue facing the state, far surpassing concerns about the economy, jobs and education, according to a poll of voters conducted for The Denver Post.

And a broad majority of those polled - including a majority of Hispanic voters - believe that illegal immigrants "cost the Colorado state government a lot of tax money," indicating that a proposed constitutional amendment banning state services for illegal immigrants had a good chance of passing if it had not been struck down by the state's highest court.

The results of the poll of 625 registered and likely voters in Colorado crossed all geographic lines, with metro Denver voters only slightly less concerned about taxpayer money being used for illegal immigrants than voters in the rest of the state.

A majority of those polled Wednesday and Thursday also said that employers who hire illegal immigrants should be "severely penalized," and 64 percent said they would back a ballot measure that prohibits employers from claiming a tax deduction for an employee whose immigration status had not been verified.

Former Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm, who spearheaded the group that sponsored the constitutional amendment, said he was "bothered" that voters believed the state's No. 1 issue was illegal immigration.

"It makes me think I was almost too successful bringing attention to the issue," he said. "This is not a very good reading on what problems the state faces. It's a serious issue, but people seem to have gone from an underreaction to overreaction."

Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., which conducted the poll, said he has done a number of recent surveys in Western states, and illegal immigration issues are near the top of those residents' concerns as well.

"But I've never seen it be the No. 1 one state issue before," he said.

The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The high polling numbers may be partly due to all the media attention on the state legislature's five-day special session that produced a measure to prevent illegal immigrants from collecting taxpayer-funded benefits. Additionally, the issue has taken center stage in the past few weeks as Congress tried - and failed - to forge a compromise on legislation, said former Denver Mayor Federico Peña, who opposed Lamm's proposed constitutional amendment.

"No other issue has been given this kind of attention," he said.

Peña said he wasn't surprised that 63 percent of those polled said it was appropriate for the state legislature to address illegal immigration issues.

"They know Congress won't act," he said. "What's going to happen is that more states and cities will act, and there will be inconsistent and confusing policies all across the country."

Some, like Linda Espinoza of Pueblo, say they started paying more attention to the issue when rallies for illegal immigrants' rights were held recently in cities across the country.

"It kind of made me mad. They aren't here legally, so why are they complaining?" said Espinoza, 54. "I feel bad for them, but there are plenty of our own people that need food, money and a place to live."

Ethel Gibson of Fountain said she too feels sympathy for illegal immigrants but worries about jobs that might be going to them instead of legal residents. She mentioned the federal raid at Wal-Mart stores nearly three years ago that found 250 illegal immigrants on cleaning crews.

"I think employers know what's going on and should be responsible to check out whether (their employees) are legal," she said.

Although the special session was marked by political posturing by both parties, the poll results indicate that only Owens, not specific state lawmakers, were noticed.

Forty-nine percent believed Owens was playing politics during the special session instead of doing what was best for the state. Those responses broke down heavily by party, with 64 percent of the Democrats saying Owens was too politically motivated and only 36 percent of Republicans agreeing.

Seventy-one percent of Hispanics thought Owens chose politics over substance.

But the poll showed the deep interest in the topic hasn't yet translated into a greater interest in the politics surrounding it.

More than three-quarters of those polled had no idea how their state representative or senator voted on the services bill, and 40 percent said a vote in favor of the bill would not have any effect on their vote.

Twenty-two percent of those polled said the Democratic leaders in the legislature were the most effective during the special session, while 20 percent named Owens. Republican leaders came in third, with 11 percent.

Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at 303-820-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com.


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Poll at a glance
39 percent of those polled think illegal immigration is the most important issue facing Colorado.

68 percent of those polled believe illegal immigrants are costing Colorado a lot of tax money.

45 percent of those polled think employers should be responsible for checking workers' status.

56 percent of those polled think employers should be severely penalized for hiring illegal immigrants.

63 percent of those polled think it was appropriate for the state to address illegal immigration.