Ohio voters want freedom of choice when it comes to unions. They want lower taxes. The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions found this and more in a a statewide poll of 1,800 registered voters released Wednesday. Buckeye president Matt Mayer talked a bit about it:

Q: What’s bothering Ohio voters most? A: Ohioans are rightfully frustrated with the long-term decline that has resulted in a structurally weak job market and high taxes. They understand all too well the connection between high taxes, burdensome regulations, and costly government and the effect those items have on job creators, entrepreneurs, and prosperity. Ohioans want big fixes so our state is a place our kids and grandkids will want to stay. To put it in perspective, from January 1990 to May 2010, Ohio had the 47th worst job market, as it netted a mere 120,700 private-sector jobs in that entire span. In contrast, it added 93,200 government jobs in that same period of time. That kind of nearly 1:1 ratio just won’t cut it. Ohio’s private sector peaked in March 2000 when it had 4,852,400 private-sector jobs. If our job growth averages the positive years of job growth from the 1990s, Ohio won’t get back to that level of employment until October 2016. It is more likely our job growth will be closer to the averages of positive job growth over the last two decades, which means we won’t fully recover from the job losses until November 2018. Ohioans can be forgiven for being upset about that sobering reality.

Q: What surprised you most about the poll findings?

A: The biggest surprise to us was the high level of support among all demographic groups for workers to have the freedom to choose whether or not to join a labor union to get a job. Given Ohio’s long history of being labor-union-friendly, we thought the numbers would be lower. Our read on this result is that Ohioans know that we won’t be able to grow our manufacturing or overall job market if we remain a state with higher labor costs and greater workplace rigidity. With the current pro-union policies, we just don’t stand much of a chance to attract the big opportunities like South Carolina just got with Boeing’s move to build the new 787 Dreamliner in that state. We’ll get a bone or two every now and again by using big incentive packages, but not in the numbers to get our job market to where it needs to be for the 11.4 million Ohioans to experience real prosperity.

Q: What’s the more glaring warning to candidates? A: The most glaring warning to candidates is don’t raise taxes. Period.

Q: The people you surveyed seem in the mood to slash government-worker compensation. How best to do that? How best to get past those who would stand in the way? A: We recently issued a report, “The Grand Bargain Is Dead: The Compensation of State Government Workers Far Exceeds Their Private-Sector Neighbors,” that contains twelve options Ohio’s elected officials can take to realign government-worker compensation to that of their private-sector neighbors. Each option contains projected cost savings, which is critical given the estimated $8 billion state budget deficit facing Ohio in the next biennial budget. As the poll shows, a majority of Ohioans want to see this action taken before government services are cut or taxes are raised. That fact should stiffen the spines of a few elected officials who fear taking on the entrenched interests. More fundamentally, to get the structural changes needed to fix Ohio, a broad education effort in all 88 counties is critical to making sure a growing number of Ohioans, armed with the information, push for this kind of change.

Q: Does their hostility to taxes mark a change?

A: I don’t think it represents so much of a change as a hardening. Ohioans outside of government have lost their jobs, benefits, pay levels, and retirement funds. I think they are sitting at their kitchen tables after the kids are in bed, looking at their check books, and saying, “Enough! I just don’t have anything left for you to take. I have paid my ‘fair share’.”

Q: Does any candidate’s agenda reflect the mood your survey finds?

A: Other than stated opposition to increasing taxes from candidates in both parties, I don’t think so. Most of the statewide candidates are doing everything they can to avoid specifics on the key issues. This poll should reassure them that taking tough public positions like New Jersey governor Chris Christie did and is doing is exactly what the people want to see. As President Ronald Reagan once said, it is time to paint in bold colors instead of pale pastels.

Q: Further advice to candidates based on what you’ve found?

A: My advice for candidates is to catch up with the people. Be leaders, not followers.

Q: Is this generally good news for a Rob Portman or John Kasich?

A: Our focus is on what is good for Ohio. One of the key lessons from the last 20 years in Ohio is that the party letter next to the name matters a lot less than what elected officials do once elected. A decade of total Republican control did not result in the structural changes necessary to make Ohio competitive and increase prosperity. Government grew more under Republicans than it has under Democratic governor Ted Strickland (divided government has its advantages). Our hope is that candidates from both parties make the tough decisions to get Ohio’s ship righted.