By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – For most respondents to L’Observateur’s latest online poll, the path to balancing the state budget is clear: eliminate unnecessary government positions.

When L’Observateur asked its readers to what they think should be done to correct the large deficit in Louisiana’s current budget — a result of smaller-than-expected tax revenue — the aforementioned choice beat out all others hands down.

Over three-quarters of voters said the way to reduce the deficit was to cut some state jobs — a plan state Treasurer John Kennedy has been touting for months now.

Only a combined 5 percent of voters said they thought cuts should be made to education or health care in the state. Those two areas are the only ones the state is allowed to make cuts to without the introduction of additional legislation.

The second-highest vote getter in the poll was for the state to tap into its “rainy day” fund. To do so would require the passage of a constitutional amendment.

Tax increases — even targeted ones such as on cigarettes or alcohol — predictably proved another unpopular option, with only 3 percent of voters choosing that route.

A full breakdown of responses follows:

• 2 percent of respondents chose “Cuts should be made to education.”

• 3 percent of respondents chose “Cuts should be made to health care.”

• 78 percent of respondents chose “Unnecessary government positions should be eliminated.”

• 3 percent of respondents chose “Additional revenue should be generated through targeted tax increases.”

• 14 percent of respondents chose “The state should tap into the Rainy Day Fund.”