Poll: 4 of 5 voters reject near $1B for Moda – even If Blazers Leave

By In the news
In: Uncategorized
Thursday June 25, 2026


NEW POLL: Four Out of Five Oregon Voters Reject Nearly $1 Billion for the Moda Center, Even If the Trail Blazers Leave
By Jeff Kropf,
Oregon Capitol Watch,


SALEM, Ore. As Oregon leaders debate public funding approaching $1 billion for the Moda Center following renewed calls for public investment from new Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon, a new statewide poll finds Oregon voters overwhelmingly reject the proposal, even if it meant losing the Trail Blazers.

Conducted by American Pulse Research & Polling for Oregon Capitol Watch Foundation, the survey tested the central argument made by supporters of the proposal: that taxpayers should help fund the project to keep the Trail Blazers in Oregon.

Four out of five Oregon voters (79.9%) said taxpayers still should not provide the funding, even if the Trail Blazers would leave Oregon without it. Just 13.6% said the public should provide the money. (Question 10).

“This poll tested the central assumption driving this debate,” said Jeff Kropf, President of Oregon Capitol Watch Foundation. “Many believed Oregonians would support nearly a billion dollars in taxpayer funding if it meant keeping the Trail Blazers. We tested that assumption directly. The answer was clear: Oregon voters believe taxpayer dollars should be focused on higher priorities.”

Key Findings

  • Opposition crossed every major voting group. Republicans, Democrats, Independents, men, women, every congressional district, every age group, and every income level all registered majority opposition. (Question 10 Crosstabs).
  • The findings held up after hearing both sides. Initial opposition measured 70.5%. After respondents heard arguments from both supporters and opponents, opposition increased to 76.2%, while support remained below 20%. (Questions 4 & 9).
  • The possibility of losing the Trail Blazers did not change public opinion. Even when respondents were asked whether taxpayers should provide the funding if the team would definitely leave Oregon, 79.9% still said no. (Question 10).

The survey interviewed 329 registered Oregon voters June 18-20, 2026, using American Pulse Research & Polling’s Gold Standard multimodal methodology of live telephone interviews and text to web surveys. The poll has a ±5.4% margin of error and was weighted to reflect Oregon’s likely electorate. American Pulse has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, FOX News, Newsmax, NewsNation, and Newsweek, and reported a 97% polling accuracy rate during the 2024 election cycle.

Additional toplines, crosstabs, methodology, and interview requests are available through Oregon Capitol Watch Foundation.

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