April 18, 2007 - Corzine's Approval Started Inching Up Before Accident Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; He Gets Better Grades For Handling Of Taxes Sparked by increased approval for his property tax reduction plan, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine's approval rating stands at 51 - 36 percent, inching up to his highest score ever, with little apparent effect from his auto accident, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Gov. Corzine's split 42 - 42 percent approval rating in a January 24 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University had jumped to 50 - 34 percent in a February 28 survey. A new survey begun April 10 shows: 51 - 36 percent approval among more than 800 registered voters surveyed April 10 - 12, before news of his accident was widely known; 52 - 35 percent approval among almost 500 voters surveyed April 13 - 16; 51 - 36 percent overall approval for the entire survey. Voters approve 71 - 21 percent of the property tax cut Corzine signed recently. The Governor still gets a negative 41 - 44 percent approval for his handling of property taxes, but this is his highest score on this issue, up from 33 - 57 percent February 28. "As property tax relief moves closer to reality in New Jersey, Gov. Jon Corzine's approval rating continues to move up," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Voters are happier with his handling of taxes. Last year's sales tax hike doesn't seem as bad now with property tax relief checks on the way. "Poll results taken before and after the Governor's unfortunate accident show shifts so small that they are probably unrelated to the event. More significant is that 71 percent of voters approve the property tax reduction that Corzine signed into law shortly before the accident," Richards added. The 20 percent property tax credit is the "right amount," 48 percent of voters say, while 32 percent say it's "too little" and 8 percent say it's "too much." By a 76 - 19 percent margin, New Jersey voters say state legislators should not be allowed to hold other government jobs. Opposition to this practice is consistent among all groups. Voters say 65 - 28 percent that current members of the State Legislature who currently hold another government job should be forced to give up one of the jobs. From April 10 - 16, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,424 New Jersey voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally as a public service and for research. For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201. 25. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor? Tues- Fri- Tot Thrs Mon Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 51% 51% 52% 31% 73% 47% 51% 52% Disapprove 36 36 35 58 15 42 38 34 DK/NA 13 13 14 11 12 12 11 15 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 63% 57% 45% 52% 36% Disapprove 29 29 44 31 51 DK/NA 8 14 11 17 13 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor? Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 24 Dec 7 Sep 20 Apr 18 Apr 26 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2007 2006 Approve 51 50 42 49 45 51 35 Disapprove 36 34 42 32 36 36 42 DK/NA 13 16 16 19 19 13 23 26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 32% 21% 49% 24% 27% 36% Disapprove 49 63 31 58 56 43 DK/NA 19 16 20 18 16 22 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 41% 31% 27% 42% 21% Disapprove 44 48 57 39 58 DK/NA 15 21 16 19 21 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 24 Dec 7 Sep 20 Jan 26 Jul 14 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2005 2006 Approve 32 31 27 31 27 44 20 Disapprove 49 52 54 50 55 31 71 DK/NA 19 17 19 19 18 25 10 27. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 47% 30% 64% 45% 46% 47% Disapprove 29 52 11 30 36 23 DK/NA 24 18 26 24 18 30 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 53% 50% 41% 49% 39% Disapprove 25 28 38 22 34 DK/NA 22 22 21 30 28 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator? * - also 55% on 9/23/1999 & 7/22/1999 Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 25 Dec 7 Jun 15 Jul 27 Feb 28 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2000 * 2007 Approve 47 40 44 44 44 55 40 Disapprove 29 32 32 33 34 22 32 DK/NA 24 28 24 23 21 23 28 28. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 34% 21% 53% 30% 36% 33% Disapprove 36 55 18 38 41 31 DK/NA 30 24 30 32 23 36 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 47% 38% 28% 30% 28% Disapprove 27 33 45 33 41 DK/NA 26 29 27 37 31 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator? * also 39% on 3/20/06 Highest Lowest Approve Approve Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 25 Dec 7 Sep 20 Dec 7 Jul 17 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 * 2006 Approve 34 34 36 39 34 39 31 Disapprove 36 35 33 37 31 37 30 DK/NA 30 31 31 24 35 24 39 35. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Corzine is handling property taxes? Tues- Fri- Tot Thrs Mon Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 41% 41% 41% 23% 59% 36% 40% 41% Disapprove 44 44 44 64 26 50 46 42 DK/NA 15 15 15 13 15 14 14 17 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 47% 43% 39% 43% 30% Disapprove 38 41 49 42 53 DK/NA 15 16 12 15 17 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Corzine is handling property taxes? Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 24 2007 2007 2007 Approve 41 33 30 Disapprove 44 57 51 DK/NA 15 10 19 36. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling property taxes? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 24% 16% 37% 19% 24% 25% Disapprove 53 69 37 60 56 51 DK/NA 23 15 25 22 20 25 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 30% 24% 23% 23% 21% Disapprove 48 53 54 52 59 DK/NA 22 23 23 24 20 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling property taxes? Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 24 2007 2007 2007 Approve 24 16 16 Disapprove 53 68 62 DK/NA 23 16 22 37. The State Legislature has passed and the Governor has recently signed a property tax credit plan that is intended to lower property taxes by as much as 20 percent. In general do you approve or disapprove of this plan? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 71% 60% 81% 68% 68% 74% Disapprove 21 31 11 25 26 16 DK/NA 8 9 8 7 6 9 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 74% 75% 67% 75% 62% Disapprove 15 18 26 18 29 DK/NA 11 8 7 6 9 38. The property tax plan will eliminate property tax rebates for all but senior citizens and in return give a property tax credit of up to 20 percent to most New Jersey homeowners. Do you think a 20 percent property tax cut is too much, too little, or about the right amount? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Too much 8% 9% 8% 6% 11% 5% Too little 32 41 25 33 34 31 Right amount 48 38 56 49 47 50 DK/NA 12 12 11 12 9 14 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Too much 8% 8% 7% 9% 7% Too little 28 34 30 35 33 Right amount 50 48 52 49 43 DK/NA 14 11 10 8 17 TREND: The property tax plan * will * eliminate property tax rebates for all but senior citizens and in return give a property tax credit of up to 20 percent to most New Jersey homeowners. Do you think a 20 percent property tax cut is too much, too little, or about the right amount? * 1/24/07 wording - "now being considered would" Apr 18 Feb 28 Jan 24 2007 2007 2007 Too much 8 9 10 Too little 32 37 29 Right amount 48 46 49 DK/NA 12 8 12 39. Some members of the New Jersey legislature hold other government jobs as well. While serving as legislators some also work as local council members, mayors and freeholders. Do you think that New Jersey state legislators should be allowed to hold other government jobs while they are serving in the legislature or do you think they should not be able to? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Should be allowed 19% 16% 23% 16% 16% 21% Should not be able to 76 78 71 81 82 72 DK/NA 5 6 5 3 2 7 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Should be allowed 20% 22% 19% 15% 15% Should not be able to 72 75 76 79 80 DK/NA 7 3 6 5 5 TREND: Some members of the New Jersey legislature hold other government jobs as well. While serving as legislators some also work as local council members, mayors and freeholders. Do you think that New Jersey state legislators should be allowed to hold other government jobs while they are serving in the legislature or do you think they should not be able to? Apr 18 Feb 28 2007 2007 Should be allowed 19 17 Should not be 76 79 DK/NA 5 4 40. Eighteen members of the New Jersey legislature currently hold other government jobs as well. If members of the legislature are prohibited from holding another government job while serving on the legislature, should these 18 members be grandfathered in and allowed to serve in both positions or should they have to leave one job? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Allowed to serve both 28% 25% 34% 27% 30% 27% Leave one job 65 71 56 70 67 64 DK/NA 6 5 10 3 3 9 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Allowed to serve both 29% 32% 24% 27% 27% Leave one job 60 64 69 69 65 DK/NA 11 4 7 4 8 TREND: Eighteen members of the New Jersey legislature currently hold other government jobs as well. If members of the legislature are prohibited from holding another government job while serving on the legislature, should these 18 members be grandfathered in and allowed to serve in both positions or should they have to leave one job? Apr 18 Feb 28 2007 2007 Allowed both 28 27 Leave one job 65 68 DK/NA 6 5
