March 23, 2010 - New Yorkers Nix Fourth Term For Mayor Bloomberg, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Want Mayor 5 - 1 to Lead Ground Zero Renewal Word format New York City voters approve 61 - 27 percent of the job Mayor Michael Bloomberg is doing, higher than most incumbents in states surveyed by Quinnipiac University, but voters say almost 3-1 they would not vote for him if he seeks a fourth term. Mayor Bloomberg's 61 - 27 percent approval rating compares to a 61 - 30 percent score February 17, but down from the 70 percent approval ratings he enjoyed for most of his second term. Except for attorneys general, who don't have to make tax and spending decisions, this is the highest approval for any elected official in any state surveyed in 2010 by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. Voters favor term limits for elected officials 70 - 22 percent. Asked another way, 55 percent set the limit at two terms; 17 percent at three terms and 5 percent at four terms. If Bloomberg were to seek a fourth term, New York City voters say 58 - 22 percent that they would not vote for him. Even Republicans say no 47 - 23 percent. Another 13 percent say it depends on who is running against Bloomberg, with 7 percent undecided. "Mayor forever? New Yorkers gave Mayor Mike a third term but now they say, 'Enough is enough!'" said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "On the other hand, about a third say 'yes,' or it depends on who's running against him. So... "Still, voter support for term limits in general hasn't wavered." New York City voters disapprove 62 - 23 percent of the job Gov. David Paterson is doing, matching the historic low grades he receives in statewide Quinnipiac University polls. But voters say 65 - 28 percent that he should serve his full term, until December 31, rather than resign. "Gov. David Paterson's job approval tanks even in overwhelmingly Democratic New York City," Carroll said. "But voters aren't calling for the Governor to step down." New York City voters say 68 - 12 percent that Mayor Bloomberg should have the major role in decisions about development of the World Trade Center site, not Gov. Paterson. Support for Bloomberg is strong across the political and racial spectrum and in every borough. Voters picked Bloomberg over former Gov. George Pataki 67 - 15 percent in an April 12, 2006, Quinnipiac University poll on who should control Ground Zero development. "By law, the governors of New York and New Jersey run the Port Authority, and by practice, the governor of New York controls what the Port Authority does on this side of the Hudson River. But New Yorkers - fed up with delay after delay, squabble after squabble - would like Bloomberg to take charge of the Ground Zero rebuilding," Carroll said. New York City voters disapprove 54 - 31 percent of a proposal to close the New York State budget gap by borrowing up to $2 billion per year for the next three years. There is no support for this proposal from any group. "City voters turn thumbs down on Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch's plan to borrow to pay some of the state's current bills," Carroll said. "We didn't ask about the other element of the plan - to pay back the borrowed money - on the suspicion that governments find it easy to borrow, hard to pay back. It could be like asking voters if they believe in the Easter Bunny." From March 15 - 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 819 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 61% 64% 61% 62% 71% 53% 56% Disapprove 27 31 27 28 20 36 33 DK/NA 12 5 12 10 9 11 11 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 58% 59% 72% 51% 71% 62% 60% Disapprove 27 30 23 33 15 26 28 DK/NA 14 11 5 16 14 12 11 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? (*High also 75% Oct 2008, Mar 2008, Jan 2007 & Nov 2005) APPROVE....... DIS.. High Low High Mar 23 Feb 17 Sep 24 Aug 26 Oct 21 Jul 2 Jul 2 2010 2010 2009 2009 2008* 2003 2003 Approve 61 61 67 66 75 31 31 Disapprove 27 30 26 28 20 60 60 DK/NA 12 9 7 5 6 8 8 2. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of years elected officials can hold office? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Favor 70% 73% 68% 74% 69% 68% 71% Oppose 22 25 25 15 24 25 18 DK/NA 8 1 7 11 8 7 11 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Favor 77% 69% 63% 73% 76% 73% 68% Oppose 18 24 24 20 22 20 24 DK/NA 5 8 13 7 1 7 9 TREND: Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of years elected officials can hold office? FAVOR......... High Low Mar 23 Mar 24 Feb 24 Jan 27 Oct 21 Jul 16 Oct 21 2010 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2008 Favor 70 68 70 69 62 71 62 Oppose 22 25 25 25 29 23 29 DK/NA 8 6 5 6 9 6 9 3. Do you think New York City elected officials should be allowed to serve two terms, three terms, four terms or should there be no term limits for New York City elected officials? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp 2 terms 55% 55% 59% 51% 46% 59% 62% 3 terms 17 21 15 20 21 17 9 4 terms 5 4 6 4 6 6 5 No Term Limits 18 17 17 19 21 12 20 DK/NA 5 3 3 6 6 5 3 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom 2 terms 66% 50% 48% 62% 59% 55% 56% 3 terms 16 20 16 13 20 17 17 4 terms 3 7 4 4 2 6 4 No Term Limits 12 17 27 13 18 17 18 DK/NA 3 7 4 8 1 5 6 4. If Michael Bloomberg ran for a fourth term as Mayor, would you vote for him or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Yes 22% 23% 20% 24% 27% 17% 24% No 58 47 64 50 46 72 62 Depends On Cand(VOL) 13 23 11 14 18 5 12 DK/NA 7 6 5 12 10 6 2 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Yes 21% 18% 29% 19% 24% 19% 24% No 60 60 53 61 53 56 60 Depends On Cand(VOL) 11 15 12 11 14 16 10 DK/NA 9 6 6 9 10 8 7 5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way David Paterson is handling his job as Governor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 23% 32% 24% 18% 17% 36% 21% Disapprove 62 61 60 68 73 44 59 DK/NA 16 6 16 14 11 20 20 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 27% 24% 17% 24% 19% 20% 25% Disapprove 61 55 73 58 74 68 57 DK/NA 12 21 10 18 7 12 18 6. Do you think Governor Paterson should serve his full term until December 31st or should he resign? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Serve full term 65% 73% 67% 58% 57% 84% 65% Resign 28 25 26 36 35 14 31 DK/NA 6 2 7 5 8 3 4 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Serve full term 74% 67% 55% 69% 64% 64% 67% Resign 20 25 39 27 32 30 27 DK/NA 7 8 5 4 4 6 6 7. Do you approve or disapprove of a proposal for New York State to help close its budget gap by borrowing an additional two billion dollars per year for the next three years? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 31% 22% 34% 28% 25% 43% 36% Disapprove 54 70 50 58 58 46 51 DK/NA 14 8 16 14 17 11 14 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 33% 33% 35% 30% 17% 29% 33% Disapprove 59 55 45 54 71 56 53 DK/NA 7 13 20 16 11 15 14 8. Who do you think should have the major role in decisions about the development of the World Trade Center site, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg or New York State Governor David Paterson? Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Bloomberg 68% 74% 67% 70% 76% 56% 65% Paterson 12 15 13 8 6 24 16 DK/NA 20 11 19 22 18 20 19 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Bloomberg 67% 68% 68% 63% 82% 65% 69% Paterson 14 13 11 12 4 15 10 DK/NA 19 19 21 25 14 20 21 TREND: Who do you think should have the major role in decisions about the development of the World Trade Center site, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg or New York State Governor David Paterson? (*Governor George Pataki / **Bloomberg also 68% Mar 2006) BLOOMBERG..... High Low Mar 23 Apr 12 Mar 9 Nov 17 Oct 13 Mar 23 Sep 10 2010 2006* 2006* 2005* 2005* 2010** 2003* Bloomberg 68 67 68 61 65 68 54 Paterson 12 15 17 15 18 12 25 DK/NA 20 18 15 24 17 20 21
