A new e-mail survey released by the state branch of AARP show that many of its members, Idahoans 50 years and older, lack confidence in state lawmakers.

“The low public confidence in state lawmakers is very alarming– it’s not good for anyone in Idaho, businesses, retirees, and especially those elected to serve in office,” Jim Wordelman, director of AARP in Idaho, said in a news release.  The poll showed that 85 percent of the 531 AARP members surveyed are not very confident or not at all confident in lawmakers to tackle the issues they care most about.  The top issues of concern, according to the poll, include resolving state budget problems, increasing funding to public schools, and repealing the health care workers’ right to conscience law, a measure AARP has opposed.

“The candidates are asking for your vote, we’re urging people to find out where the candidates stand on the issues that matter most,” Wordelman said.  AARP Idaho has 180,000 members across the state, and said that 90 percent of them are registered to vote.  The organization said 56 percent of all voters at will be 50 or older this year.

Other important issues listed by AARP members in the survey include removing large campaign contributions from special interest groups, increasing the number of doctors in Idaho, opposing Idaho’s participation in a lawsuit against federal health care reforms, and restoring spending reductions to programs serving the elderly.  The survey has a 3 percent sampling error, and was conducted from April 28 to May 17.