MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Four out of every five respondents in a new Marquette Law School Poll say the Legislature should have passed a $1.8 billion bill that would've drawn down much of the state's surplus to provide more special education funding for schools, provided marginal property tax relief and sent rebate checks to taxpayers.

It's not often 80% of Wisconsin voters come down on the same side of an issue, but a vast majority of those who took the MU poll last week wanted lawmakers to approve a compromise package negotiated by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and GOP leaders in control of the Assembly and Senate.

The bill failed in the Senate earlier this month with all 15 Senate Democrats and three Senate Republicans rejected the package in a late-night 18-15 vote following hours of last-ditch talks.

The deal was reached by Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), all of whom are retiring at the end of this year.

The plan would've provided $315 million in additional special education funding for K-12 districts statewide, sent rebate checks of up to $300 for single taxpayers or up to $600 for married couples, would've provided property tax relief of about $100 this year for the owner of a median-priced house and remove the state income tax on tips and overtime wages.

GOP candidate for governor, Congressman Tom Tiffany, opposed the measure, saying more of the state's projected $2.5 billion surplus should go toward tax relief.

Several Democratic candidates for governor, including State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), State Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and former Secretary of Administration Joel Brennan publicly opposed the deal.

In their statements and answers to questions about the deal, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes have not directly said whether they supported the deal or would've signed off on it if they were governor.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley gave lukewarm praise to Evers for reaching the deal.

Former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation CEO Missy Hughes is the only Democratic candidate for governor who openly supported the surplus package.

Legislative Democratic leaders, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) and Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), along with all Senate Democrats, opposed the deal.

They have pointed to estimates showing the spending plan would create a $2.9 billion structural deficit, a figure based on a scenario where no economic growth occurs.

Democrats have cited President Donald Trump's war in Iran and the rising fuel costs it has caused as a reason to fear an economic downturn.

In previous state budget cycles, Evers proposed budgets that would've created a structural deficit, but legislative Democrats did not sound any alarms then.

Evers fired back at Democratic critics — Hong called the deal a 'payday loan', to which Evers replied it was the 'dumbest thing he's ever heard.'

In the poll, 80% of the respondents said lawmakers should've passed the bill, while 11% said they should have voted it down. Nine percent said they didn't know.

When asked about the concerns over the spending plan creating a deficit, 69% said it still would be better to provide tax relief and more special education funding than to delay those actions.

21% said it would've been to hold off on those spending plans until next year.

Support for the bill was overwhelmingly bipartisan. Even with the question noting concerns about the deficit, 74% of Democrats said it was better to pass the surplus deal now. 68% of Republicans an 67% of Independents also supporting passing the deal this spring.