February 11, 1998 - Giuliani Approval Tops 3 -1, But Jaywalking Is Limp Issue, Quinnipiac College Poll Finds; New Yorkers Want Mayor To Tackle Education Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's approval rating has jumped to an all-time 74 - 23 percent high, matching a record of 76 percent of New Yorkers who are "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with life in the city, according to a Quinnipiac College Poll released today. The Mayor's approval tops his 68 - 28 percent high mark from an October 29 poll by the independent Quinnipiac College Poll, when the satisfaction level was 70 percent. While New Yorkers approve 3-1 of Giuliani as Mayor, only 12 percent would like to see him run for President in 2000 and 29 percent would like to see him run for the U.S. Senate. Of the 50 percent who said no to higher office, 22 percent want to keep Giuliani as their Mayor, while 59 percent -- or 30 percent of all new Yorkers -- say he wouldn't make a good President or Senator. Sixty-eight percent of New Yorkers say the City has gotten better in the last four years and 90 percent of that group gives Giuliani some or most of the credit. "New Yorkers to Giuliani: Stay home. We love you as Mayor, people say, but forget about President or Senator," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute. "Could it really be true that being Mayor of New York is a dead-end job, or will Giuliani be the first Mayor since John Hoffman in 1868 to move on to higher office?" "Satisfaction with life in New York City is at an all-time high, and Giuliani gets most of the credit. Voters say Giuliani has handled the crime issue well and now he should turn his attention to education," Carroll added. In open-ended questions, where voters can give any answers, 58 percent say the Mayor's handling of crime/drugs was his most important accomplishment in his first term. No other issue scored higher than 3 percent. The top priority for the second Giuliani administration should be education, 32 percent of New Yorkers said in response to an open-ended question. The next priority was 17 percent for more action on crime/drugs. New Yorkers identify several issues as more important than jaywalking: 45 - 54 percent, they say jaywalking is a serious problem; 86 - 13 percent, they say littering is a serious problem; 70 - 27 percent, they say aggressive panhandling is a serious problem; 63 - 37 percent, they say car alarms are a serious problem. Asked which issue bothers them most, panhandling "wins" with 34 percent, followed by 32 percent for littering, 26 percent for car alarms and 5 percent for jaywalking. "Giuliani hates jaywalking, but 92 percent of New Yorkers say aggressive panhandling, littering or those miserable, sleep-shattering car alarms are worse problems," Carroll said. "New Yorkers are surprisingly prudent: 44 percent say use the City's budget surplus to improve services, while 30 percent say use it to pay off debt and 23 percent say cut taxes." The Mayor's favorability is at 57 - 16 percent, with 25 percent mixed and 2 percent who say they haven't heard enough to form an opinion. Ratings for other city leaders are: Favorable Unfavorable Mixed No Opinion Public Advocate Mark Green 39 6 13 41 Comptroller Alan Hevesi 28 4 12 55 Schools Rudolph Crew 44 10 22 23 Police Commissioner Howard Safir 36 12 21 30 From February 3 -9, Quinnipiac College surveyed 942 New York City residents who say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent. The Quinnipiac College Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Rudolph Giuliani is handling his job as Mayor? Oct 29 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 74% 84% 57% 63% 76% 72% 68% Disapprove 23 14 38 32 22 23 28 DK/NA 4 3 5 5 2 5 4 1a. Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat? Oct 29 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve strongly 42% 56% 19% 21% 45% 39% 39% Approve smwht 32 28 38 42 31 33 30 Disapprove smwht 11 6 16 18 10 11 13 Disapprove strongly 12 7 21 14 12 12 15 DK/NA 4 3 5 5 2 5 4 2. In the year 2000, would you like to see Rudolph Giuliani run for President, run for United States Senator, or wouldn't you like see him run for either of these offices? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom President 12% 15% 6% 10% 13% 10% U.S. Senator 29 36 16 26 27 30 Neither of these 50 40 67 55 50 50 DK/NA 10 9 11 9 10 10 3.(If no) Would you say that is mainly because you think he would not make a good President or Senator, or mainly because you want him to stay mayor of New York City? Those who said no Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Not make good Pres/ Sen 59 59 64 49 54 63 Stay mayor of NYC 22 24 15 36 26 20 Other(vol) 12 12 15 6 16 10 DK/NA 6 5 6 8 4 7 4. What do you think was Rudolph Guiliani's most important accomplishment in his first term as Mayor? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Budget 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% 1% Crime/Drugs/Increase Police 58 61 52 54 61 55 Economy/Jobs 2 2 1 3 3 1 Education 2 2 - 5 1 2 Elderly - - - 1 - - Quality of Life Issues/Clean up City 3 4 3 - 4 3 Race relations - - - 1 - - Taxes-general 1 1 - 1 - 1 Taxes-Clothing/Sales 1 1 1 - - 1 Welfare 2 1 3 4 1 2 Other 10 11 9 6 11 10 DK/NA 20 15 29 22 15 23 5. What do you think should be Rudolph Guiliani's top priority in his second term as Mayor? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Budget 1% 1% 1% 1% 2% 1% Children's programs 1 - 1 2 - 1 Continue same 1 2 1 - 2 1 Crime/Drugs/Increase Police 17 19 13 15 19 15 Economy/Jobs 5 3 6 3 6 3 Education 32 33 31 33 24 38 Elderly 1 1 2 - - 1 Healthcare 1 1 1 1 1 1 Housing and rental costs 1 1 1 1 1 1 Immigration - - - - 1 - Infrastructure/Roads/ Bridges/Buildings 1 2 - - 2 - Police brutality/Community relations with police 3 1 6 5 3 2 Poor/Homeless 6 3 9 8 5 6 Public transportation 1 - 1 3 1 1 Quality of Life Issues/Clean up City 2 4 - 2 4 1 Race relations 1 1 2 1 2 1 Taxes-general 3 3 3 1 5 2 Taxes-Clothing/Sales 1 1 1 1 1 1 Traffic - 1 - - 1 - Welfare 2 2 1 2 1 2 Other 11 13 11 6 11 11 DK/NA 8 8 8 14 8 9 6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling the city budget? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 58% 67% 41% 50% 61% 55% 42% Disapprove 25 17 38 31 24 25 35 DK/NA 18 15 21 19 15 20 23 7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling crime? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 83% 88% 71% 87% 84% 81% 82% Disapprove 14 9 25 13 12 15 15 DK/NA 3 3 4 - 4 3 4 8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling the economy and jobs? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 59% 70% 40% 52% 65% 54% 51% Disapprove 30 18 51 38 24 34 37 DK/NA 12 12 9 10 11 12 12 9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling education? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 42% 49% 29% 43% 47% 39% 38% Disapprove 49 41 65 52 43 54 50 DK/NA 8 10 5 5 9 7 12 10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling taxes? Aug 5 29 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 57% 64% 45% 58% 60% 55% 46% Disapprove 28 22 41 30 29 28 37 DK/NA 15 15 14 12 11 17 17 11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling poverty and homelesness? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 34% 42% 18% 30% 39% 30% 30% Disapprove 52 43 73 54 48 56 56 DK/NA 14 15 9 16 14 14 14 12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor Giuliani is handling welfare? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Approve 54% 60% 46% 54% 57% 52% 45% Disapprove 31 24 45 36 31 32 39 DK/NA 15 16 9 10 13 17 16 13. Is your opinion of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Oct 29 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Favorable 57% 71% 34% 48% 63% 53% 53% Unfavorable 16 11 26 15 14 17 19 Mixed 25 17 37 31 21 28 25 Haven't heard enough 2 - 2 6 1 2 2 REFUSED - - 1 - 1 - 1 14. Is your opinion of Schools Chancellor Rudolph Crew favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Aug 6 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Favorable 44% 47% 44% 37% 47% 42% 49% Unfavorable 10 8 10 14 11 9 8 Mixed 22 22 25 18 20 25 20 Haven't heard enough 23 22 21 31 21 24 23 REFUSED 1 1 - - 1 1 - 15. Is your opinion of Public Advocate Mark Green favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Favorable 39% 39% 42% 30% 44% 35% 41% Unfavorable 6 8 3 1 9 4 7 Mixed 13 14 12 11 11 14 14 Haven't heard enough 41 37 43 56 34 46 38 REFUSED 1 2 - 1 2 1 1 16. Is your opinion of Police Commissioner Howard Safir favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Jun 18 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Favorable 36% 44% 21% 29% 40% 34% 36% Unfavorable 12 9 13 18 15 9 9 Mixed 21 20 26 21 19 23 29 Haven't heard enough 30 27 38 32 25 34 25 REFUSED 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 17. Is your opinion of City Controller Alan Hevesi favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Aug 5 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Favorable 28% 34% 22% 22% 36% 23% 30% Unfavorable 4 4 4 2 6 2 4 Mixed 12 10 11 16 11 12 12 Haven't heard enough 55 51 62 59 46 61 53 REFUSED 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 18. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York City today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? Oct 29 Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom 1997 Very satisfied 18% 25% 6% 13% 24% 14% 12% Smwht satisfied 58 58 60 57 58 59 58 Smwht dissatisfied 18 13 25 24 14 21 19 Very dissatisfied 5 3 10 5 3 6 10 DK/NA 1 1 - - 1 1 1 19. Compared to 4 years ago, do you feel that things in New York City have gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Gotten better 68% 78% 51% 69% 72% 65% Gotten worse 7 4 13 7 6 8 Stayed the same 22 16 32 23 19 24 DK/NA 3 3 3 1 3 3 20.(If changed) How much of this change is due to the policies of Rudolph Giuliani - most of it, some, or none? Better Worse Most 46% 50% Some 50 39 None 2 8 DK/NA 1 3 21. New York City currently has a budget surplus. Do you think the budget surplus should be used to improve services, cut taxes, or pay off some of the debt? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Improve services 44% 44% 45% 39% 40% 47% Cut taxes 23 20 28 29 23 22 Pay off debt 30 32 25 31 33 27 DK/NA 4 4 1 1 4 3 48. Is jaywalking a very serious problem in New York City, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Very serious 22% 20% 30% 18% 18% 25% Smwht serious 23 22 24 27 21 24 Not very serious 27 29 19 26 28 25 Not a problem at all 27 28 25 30 30 25 DK/NA 2 1 2 - 2 1 49. Is littering a very serious problem in New York City, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Very serious 51% 45% 68% 52% 46% 55% Smwht serious 35 39 22 33 37 33 Not very serious 10 12 7 8 13 8 Not a problem at all 3 2 3 7 3 3 DK/NA 1 1 - - 1 1 50. Is aggressive panhandling a very serious problem in New York City, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Very serious 33% 30% 40% 44% 32% 34% Smwht serious 37 39 31 34 36 38 Not very serious 20 23 17 12 22 19 Not a problem at all 7 6 10 6 9 6 DK/NA 2 2 2 4 1 3 51. Is noise from car alarms a very serious problem in New York City, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Very serious 29% 28% 29% 29% 27% 30% Smwht serious 34 37 28 33 32 35 Not very serious 26 25 25 23 29 23 Not a problem at all 11 9 17 14 12 11 DK/NA 1 1 - 1 - 2 53. Of those four issues - jay walking, littering, aggressive panhandling, and noise from car alarms - which one bothers you most? Tot Wht Blk His Men Wom Jay walking 5% 6% 7% 6% 5% 5% Littering 32 32 29 29 27 35 Aggressive panhandling 34 34 35 45 40 31 Car alarms 26 26 29 19 25 27 DK/NA 2 3 - 2 3 2
