June 2, 2011 - New Yorkers Back New Property Tax Cap Plan 2-1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Support For Same-Sex Marriage Inches Up To New High Word format New York State voters support 60 - 30 percent a cap on property taxes proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, with 54 - 35 percent support among Democrats and 56 - 37 percent backing among voters in union households, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Voters also support another bread-and-butter issue, rent regulation, 62 - 31 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Support is 51 - 41 percent among Republicans, 74 - 22 percent among Democrats and 55 - 37 percent among independent voters. New York City voters support rent regulation 71 - 25 percent, while suburban voters back it 61 - 35 percent and upstate voters are for it 54 - 35 percent. Support for legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry is 58 - 36 percent, higher than ever while statistically unchanged from 56 - 38 percent April 14. Support is 72 - 23 percent among Democrats and 58 - 34 percent among independent voters, while Republicans are opposed 64 - 34 percent. There is little gender gap: men support same-sex marriage 58 - 37 percent, while women back it 59 - 34 percent. "New Yorkers support same-sex marriage, but their top priorities are the property tax cap and ethics reform," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "In three Quinnipiac University polls earlier this year, we asked New Yorkers about a property tax cap in a simple question with no conditions or qualifiers. Support was at about 80 percent. Now that we've got a real piece of legislation, with some limits as the result of compromise between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, support drops to 60 percent. But 60 percent is not chopped liver." New York State voters say 52 - 41 percent that state legislators who practice law should be required to name their clients. On drawing the district lines from which state legislators and members of Congress are elected: 46 percent favor an independent commission with no connection to the legislature; 31 percent would allow some legislative input; 13 percent want to keep the current system where legislators draw the lines. Voters oppose 49 - 45 percent public financing for governor and other statewide offices and for members of the State Legislature. Setting legislative priorities: 82 percent say ethics reform is "very" or "somewhat" important; 79 percent of voters say a property tax cap is "very important" or "somewhat important;" 65 percent say strengthening New York City rent regulations are "very" or "somewhat" important; 65 percent say non-partisan redistricting is "very" or "somewhat" important; 51 percent say legalizing same-sex marriage is "very" or "somewhat" important. Given an "either-or" choice, New York State voters say 82 - 13 percent that teacher layoffs should be based on performance rather than seniority. But offered another choice, 50 percent say teacher layoffs should be based on a combination of performance and seniority, with 40 percent opting for performance only and 7 percent opting for seniority only. A total of 70 percent of voters are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" that transferring state obligations to local government will lead to reduced services. "We've found in past polls that voters endorsed tightening fiscal controls," Carroll said, "but they're worried that state budget cuts will hurt local schools, local services and Medicaid. "We did a split sample about teacher layoffs and found that, if it wasn't a straight choice between seniority and performance, lots of New Yorkers thought both factors should count." From May 24 - 30, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,257 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation 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. 18. As you may know, there is a proposal to cap local property tax increases at 2 percent annually in New York State. The tax cap could be overridden with 60 percent of a local school district vote. Do you support or oppose this proposal capping local property tax increases at 2 percent annually in New York State? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 60% 74% 54% 61% 65% 56% 67% 35% Oppose 30 23 35 28 28 31 24 49 DK/NA 10 3 11 11 6 13 9 16 Union Own Rent UpStat NYC Sub HsHld Home Home Support 67% 53% 61% 56% 67% 49% Oppose 24 35 30 37 25 38 DK/NA 8 12 8 7 8 13 19. Do you think state legislators who are practicing lawyers should be required to publicly disclose their client list or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 52% 56% 46% 59% 58% 46% No 41 37 46 37 37 45 DK/NA 7 7 8 5 5 8 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Yes 52% 46% 61% 55% No 41 46 35 40 DK/NA 8 8 3 5 TREND: Do you think state legislators who are practicing lawyers should be required to publicly disclose their client lists or not? (* "disclose their clients") Jun 02 Apr 14 Jan 27 2011 2011* 2011* Yes 52 55 48 No 41 40 42 DK/NA 7 6 9 20. Do you support or oppose public financing of campaigns for governor, other statewide offices and the state legislature? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 45% 35% 54% 44% 49% 42% Oppose 49 60 40 53 46 52 DK/NA 5 6 6 3 5 5 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Support 40% 48% 49% 42% Oppose 53 47 48 54 DK/NA 7 5 3 4 TREND: Do you support or oppose public financing of campaigns for governor, other statewide offices and the state legislature? Jun 02 Apr 14 Jan 27 2011 2011 2011 Support 45 41 40 Oppose 49 52 51 DK/NA 5 7 9 21. Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected - the state legislature, or a commission that has no connection to the state legislature, or an independent commission with some legislative input? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom State legislature 13% 17% 16% 9% 12% 15% Commissn/No connect 46 48 43 48 50 42 Commissn/legis input 31 32 28 34 30 31 DK/NA 10 3 12 9 8 12 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds State legislature 11% 18% 9% 14% Commissn/No connect 48 40 52 47 Commissn/legis input 31 32 30 32 DK/NA 10 10 9 6 TREND: Who do you think should draw the district lines by which members of the state legislature and Congress are elected: the state legislature, a commission that has no connection to the state legislature, or an independent commission with some legislative input? Jun 02 Apr 14 2011 2011 State legislature 13 12 Commissn/No connect 46 51 Commissn/legis input 31 29 DK/NA 10 7 22. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 58% 34% 72% 58% 58% 59% Oppose 36 64 23 34 37 34 DK/NA 6 3 6 8 5 7 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Support 55% 61% 59% 63% Oppose 40 33 33 33 DK/NA 5 5 8 4 TREND: Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? SUPPORT... High Low Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 Jan 27 Dec 16 Jun 02 Apr 15 2011 2011 2011 2011 2009 2011 2004 Support 58 56 54 56 47 58 37 Oppose 36 38 39 37 46 36 66 DK/NA 6 5 7 7 7 6 8 23. Do you support or oppose rent regulation, which controls the amount of rent a landlord can charge a tenant? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 62% 51% 74% 55% 60% 64% 59% 63% Oppose 31 41 22 37 34 28 33 34 DK/NA 6 8 4 8 6 7 8 4 Union Own Rent UpStat NYC Sub HsHld Home Home Support 54% 71% 61% 65% 58% 70% Oppose 35 25 35 31 34 28 DK/NA 11 4 4 5 9 2 TREND: Do you support or oppose rent regulation, which controls the amount of rent a landlord can charge a tenant? Jun 02 Apr 14 2011 2011 Support 62 59 Oppose 31 33 DK/NA 6 8 24. (Introduction for questions 24a-24e) For each of the following issues, please tell me how important it is to you, if at all, that the state legislature pass legislation on this issue this year. Is it very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? 24a) Strengthening rent regulation 24b) Legalizing same sex marriage 24c) Pass property tax cap 24d) Pass ethics reform 24e) Pass non-partisan redistricting Rent Gay Tax Ethcs Re- Cntrl Marg Cap Refrm disticting Very important 38% 28% 53% 53% 27% Somewhat important 27 23 26 29 38 Not too important 16 16 8 7 18 Not important at all 14 24 9 4 7 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 1 7 2 - - DK/NA(VOL) 5 2 2 6 9 24a. How important, if at all, is it to you that the state legislature pass legislation strengthening New York City rent regulation this year? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 38% 22% 50% 30% 36% 39% Somewhat important 27 29 27 27 24 29 Not too important 16 19 11 22 17 16 Not important at all 14 24 7 17 18 10 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 - DK/NA(VOL) 5 6 5 4 4 6 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very important 20% 60% 27% 41% Somewhat important 26 24 32 24 Not too important 24 7 19 16 Not important at all 20 6 16 16 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) - - 2 - DK/NA(VOL) 9 2 3 3 24b. How important, if at all, is it to you that the state legislature pass legislation legalizing same sex marriage this year? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 28% 12% 43% 20% 25% 31% Somewhat important 23 16 21 30 24 22 Not too important 16 16 15 18 16 15 Not important at all 24 43 14 26 27 21 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 7 11 5 5 6 7 DK/NA(VOL) 2 2 2 1 1 4 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very important 24% 32% 29% 33% Somewhat important 23 24 23 26 Not too important 15 15 18 14 Not important at all 29 21 21 20 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 7 6 7 6 DK/NA(VOL) 2 2 3 1 24c. How important, if at all, is it to you that the state legislature pass a property tax cap this year? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 53% 64% 50% 52% 56% 52% Somewhat important 26 23 25 29 25 26 Not too important 8 6 9 8 8 8 Not important at all 9 6 9 9 9 9 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 2 1 2 1 1 2 DK/NA(VOL) 2 - 4 1 1 4 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very important 52% 50% 62% 52% Somewhat important 28 26 22 26 Not too important 8 9 6 8 Not important at all 8 10 7 11 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) 1 2 2 1 DK/NA(VOL) 3 4 - 1 24d. How important, if at all, is it to you that the state legislature pass ethics reform this year? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 53% 52% 53% 52% 59% 48% Somewhat important 29 39 25 29 28 30 Not too important 7 3 9 8 6 8 Not important at all 4 3 3 6 3 5 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) - - - - - - DK/NA(VOL) 6 3 9 5 4 8 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very important 52% 54% 52% 53% Somewhat important 32 24 33 32 Not too important 6 9 7 8 Not important at all 3 4 7 3 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) - - - - DK/NA(VOL) 6 9 2 4 24e. How important, if at all, is it to you that the state legislature pass non-partisan redistricting this year? Very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very important 27% 24% 29% 28% 31% 24% Somewhat important 38 41 35 42 38 39 Not too important 18 19 20 15 17 18 Not important at all 7 9 6 7 8 7 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) - 1 - - - - DK/NA(VOL) 9 6 11 7 6 11 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very important 27% 30% 23% 28% Somewhat important 41 33 44 40 Not too important 17 18 20 17 Not important at all 7 6 10 8 DON'T PASS IT(VOL) - - - - DK/NA(VOL) 8 13 3 7 25. Is your opinion of New York State's public school teachers favorable, unfavorable, or haven't you heard enough about them? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 54% 45% 63% 48% 52% 55% Unfavorable 21 31 14 26 22 21 Hvn't hrd enough 21 19 20 21 22 20 REFUSED 4 4 3 5 4 4 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Favorable 51% 57% 53% 61% 60% Unfavorable 25 18 20 18 19 Hvn't hrd enough 20 20 24 17 17 REFUSED 5 4 3 4 3 TREND: Is your opinion of New York State's public school teachers favorable, unfavorable, or haven't you heard enough about them? Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 2011 2011 2011 Favorable 54 49 50% Unfavorable 21 25 22 Hvn't hrd enough 21 22 25 REFUSED 4 3 3 26. Generally speaking, do you believe the teachers' unions are playing a positive or a negative role in improving New York State's educational system? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Positive 43% 24% 57% 36% 42% 43% Negative 48 69 34 53 49 47 DK/NA 10 7 9 11 9 10 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Positive 39% 51% 36% 54% 50% Negative 49 41 58 39 45 DK/NA 12 9 7 7 5 TREND: Generally speaking, do you believe the teachers' unions are playing a positive or a negative role in improving New York State's educational system? Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 Apr 15 2011 2011 2011 2004 Positive 43 42 39 48 Negative 48 49 51 35 DK/NA 10 9 10 17 27. Some people say that public school teachers who do an outstanding job should be rewarded with additional pay, so called merit pay. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Good idea 68% 68% 69% 66% 69% 67% Bad idea 28 30 26 29 28 28 DK/NA 4 2 5 5 4 5 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Good idea 64% 70% 69% 57% 66% Bad idea 30 26 29 39 31 DK/NA 6 4 2 4 3 TREND: Some people say that public school teachers who do an outstanding job should be rewarded with additional pay, so called merit pay. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 2011 2011 2011 Good idea 68 67 64 Bad idea 28 30 33 DK/NA 4 3 3 28. Some people have suggested that firing public school teachers should be made easier. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Good idea 63% 76% 53% 68% 66% 60% Bad idea 31 22 39 26 30 33 DK/NA 6 2 8 6 5 7 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Good idea 65% 56% 71% 57% 61% Bad idea 29 37 26 39 34 DK/NA 6 7 3 4 6 TREND: Some people have suggested that firing public school teachers should be made easier. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 2011 2011 2011 Good idea 63 64 62 Bad idea 31 31 33 DK/NA 6 5 5 29a. (Split Sample A) If public school administrators need to lay off teachers, do you think they should lay off teachers based on their performance or based on seniority? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Seniority 13% 10% 17% 9% 14% 12% Performance 82 87 78 86 82 82 DK/NA 5 3 5 5 5 6 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Seniority 14% 10% 15% 19% Performance 83 83 77 77 DK/NA 3 6 8 4 TREND: If public school administrators need to lay off teachers, do you think they should lay off teachers based on their performance or based on seniority? Jun 02 Apr 14 Feb 24 2011 2011 2011 Seniority 13 14 12 Performance 82 82 85 DK/NA 5 4 4 29b. (Split Sample B) If public school administrators need to lay off teachers, do you think they should lay off teachers based solely on their performance, based solely on seniority, or based on a combination of performance and seniority? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Seniority 7% 5% 9% 5% 7% 6% Performance 40 45 37 46 36 44 Combination of both 50 46 51 46 53 47 DK/NA 3 4 3 3 4 2 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Seniority 6% 6% 8% 14% Performance 39 39 45 32 Combination of both 52 52 43 53 DK/NA 3 3 4 1 30. Do you think government workers should have to wait until they are 65 to collect their pensions or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 56% 69% 50% 55% 58% 54% No 39 26 44 39 37 40 DK/NA 5 4 5 6 5 6 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Yes 55% 50% 67% 42% 51% No 38 45 29 53 45 DK/NA 6 5 4 5 4 TREND: Do you think government workers should have to wait until they are 65 to collect their pensions or not? Jun 02 Feb 23 2011 2011 Yes 56 63 No 39 33 DK/NA 5 4 31. How concerned are you that - the school aid cuts will negatively affect local education? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very concerned 47% 34% 64% 34% 43% 51% Somewhat concerned 28 28 24 34 28 28 Not too concerned 12 19 6 17 16 10 Not concerned at all 10 18 4 14 13 9 DK/NA 1 1 2 1 - 2 Union HvKidsIn UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds PubSch Very concerned 39% 62% 38% 55% 70% Somewhat concerned 35 20 32 26 17 Not too concerned 14 8 17 11 6 Not concerned at all 11 9 12 8 7 DK/NA 2 1 1 - - 32. How concerned are you that - the Medicaid cuts will negatively affect health care? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very concerned 56% 40% 70% 46% 48% 64% Somewhat concerned 26 28 23 29 28 24 Not too concerned 10 14 4 15 15 5 Not concerned at all 7 16 2 9 8 6 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very concerned 49% 69% 47% 57% Somewhat concerned 28 20 31 27 Not too concerned 11 5 15 9 Not concerned at all 10 5 6 6 DK/NA 2 1 1 - 33. How concerned are you that - the state transferring obligations to localities will lead to government services suffering? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very concerned 34% 25% 41% 30% 33% 36% Somewhat concerned 36 35 36 40 34 38 Not too concerned 16 22 14 15 20 13 Not concerned at all 9 15 4 10 9 8 DK/NA 4 4 4 5 4 5 Union UpStat NYC Sub HsHlds Very concerned 29% 42% 31% 36% Somewhat concerned 39 34 36 37 Not too concerned 19 13 17 17 Not concerned at all 9 6 13 6 DK/NA 5 5 4 3
