Improving Finances Send Gov. Brown's Approval Rate Soaring

SACRAMENTO (CBS/AP) - A new Field Poll finds that Jerry Brown is enjoying his highest job-performance ratings since returning to the governor's office two years ago.

The survey released Thursday shows that 57 percent of registered voters approve of the job the Democratic governor is doing, with 31 percent disapproving. It is the first time Brown's rating has been above 50 percent since he began his latest term in January 2011.

KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:

"We basically are attributing it to the fact that the state's financial house seems to be more in order than it was last year," said poll director Mark DiCamillo, adding that voters nevertheless voters remain concerned about California's financial situation.

"Fifty-seven percent, for example, say that he advocates too many big government projects that the state can't afford and 52 percent worry about the tax policies that he's promoting that might be hurting the economy."

The Legislature also is doing relatively well, with 36 percent of voters approving of its job performance. That is the highest rating since 2008.

Fifty-five percent of voters also like the two-thirds majorities Democrats won in the Assembly and Senate, according to the poll results.

Field interviewed 834 registered voters by telephone from Feb. 5-17. The poll has a sampling margin error rate up to plus or minus 5 percentage points.

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