(MONEY Magazine) – MAY -42 APRIL -45 YEAR AGO -35

Echoing the guarded optimism expressed in the poll at right, the MONEY/ABC index rose slightly in May to -42. That is its second straight monthly uptick. Our poll also asked for reactions to Jerry Brown's proposed 13% flat tax: Less than a third say they favor it.

CHART: NOT AVAILABLE CREDIT: Based on a poll of 528 randomly chosen adults in April. Margin of error: plus or minus five percentage points. CAPTION: Do you favor or do you oppose Jerry Brown's flat-tax proposal?