New Jersey (NJ) Poll * July 14, 2006 * Corzine Is Early Winner In Bat - Quinnipiac University

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July 14, 2006 - Corzine Is Early Winner In Battle Of Trenton, Quinnipiac University New Jersey Poll Finds; Voters Blame Legislature 3 - 1 For Budget Crisis

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has a split 44 - 43 percent approval rating, his best score so far, and by a 3 - 1 margin New Jersey voters blame the State Legislature more than the Governor for the budget crisis, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
This compares to a 39 - 41 percent approval rating for Gov. Corzine in a June 16 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
By a 58 - 19 percent margin New Jersey voters blame the State Legislature, not Corzine, for the recent budget crisis. The Legislature gets a negative 20 - 71 percent approval rating, its lowest score ever.
Voters split 47 - 46 percent in their approval of Corzine's handling of the state budget, up from a negative 39 - 45 percent approval June 16. But voters still say 64 - 25 percent that Corzine will not reduce property taxes, compared to 70 - 19 percent June 16.
"Gov. Corzine is emerging as the winner of the Battle of Trenton 2006, although voters are clearly divided on his action shutting down state government and seeking the sales tax hike that ended the budget crisis, " said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"New Jersey voters clearly blame the State Legislature for the budget crisis and say the property tax relief that the legislature insisted on in the compromise is more politics than real reform. The bottom line is that the Governor's job approval numbers are up to a new high and the State Legislature's are down to a new low."
On other questions about the budget crisis, New Jersey voters:
Approve 58 - 37 percent of the compromise legislation that raised sales taxes while using some of the revenue to reduce local property taxes; Split 47 - 46 percent on whether the sales tax hike is needed to balance the budget; Say 59 - 30 percent that the compromise solution is a "token political effort" rather than "real property tax reform;" Disapprove 51 - 45 percent of Corzine's decision to shut down state government; Say 49 - 42 percent that Corzine acted like a leader, not a bully, in shutting down state government.
From July 8 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 985 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida and nationally as a public service and for research. For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu and quicklinks or call (203) 582-5201.
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 44% 27% 60% 43% 42% 45% Disapprove 43 62 27 45 44 42 DK/NA 13 10 13 12 13 12 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 57% 49% 31% 38% 42% Disapprove 28 41 49 54 44 DK/NA 15 10 20 8 15
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Jul 14 Jun 16 Apr 26 Mar 16 Jan 26 Jul 14 Apr 26 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 Approve 44 39 35 43 38 44 35 Disapprove 43 41 42 21 14 43 42 DK/NA 13 20 23 36 48 13 23
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 20% 18% 26% 17% 19% 20% Disapprove 71 75 63 75 73 69 DK/NA 10 7 11 8 8 11 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 25% 24% 11% 16% 19% Disapprove 65 67 77 77 72 DK/NA 10 10 12 7 9
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Jul 14 Jun 16 Apr 26 Mar 16 Jan 26 Jan 26 Jul 14 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005 2006 Approve 20 27 26 35 34 44 20 Disapprove 71 53 55 41 47 31 71 DK/NA 10 19 20 24 18 25 10
11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling the state budget?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 47% 32% 59% 48% 45% 48% Disapprove 46 63 33 45 48 44 DK/NA 7 5 8 7 7 8 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 62% 49% 36% 40% 48% Disapprove 30 43 55 53 48 DK/NA 8 8 8 7 5
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling the state budget?
Jul 14 Jun 16 Apr 26 Mar 16 2006 2006 2006 2006 Approve 47 39 31 32 Disapprove 46 45 46 24 DK/NA 7 17 23 44
12. Do you think Jon Corzine will reduce property taxes in New Jersey or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 25% 16% 37% 22% 22% 28% No 64 76 51 66 67 61 DK/NA 11 8 12 11 11 10 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 31% 24% 13% 28% 33% No 52 65 77 66 57 DK/NA 18 11 10 6 10
TREND: Do you think Jon Corzine will reduce property taxes in New Jersey or not?
Jul 14 Jun 16 Mar 16 Jan 26 Nov 22 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005 Yes 25 19 25 35 46 No 64 70 63 53 44 DK/NA 11 11 12 11 9
13. Governor Corzine recently shut down New Jersey state government in an attempt to force the legislature to reach a compromise in the budget crisis. Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Corzine shutting down the government in an attempt to end the budget crisis?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 45% 35% 55% 44% 42% 47% Disapprove 51 63 39 53 53 50 DK/NA 4 2 6 3 6 3 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 58% 48% 40% 33% 44% Disapprove 39 48 53 64 54 DK/NA 3 5 8 3 2
14. The compromise legislation that ended the budget crisis raised New Jersey's state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent and will use half the revenue from the tax hike to lower property taxes. Do you approve or disapprove of this compromise legislation?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 58% 45% 69% 57% 53% 61% Disapprove 37 50 28 38 41 34 DK/NA 5 5 4 5 6 5 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 59% 57% 51% 63% 59% Disapprove 30 41 40 36 34 DK/NA 11 3 9 2 6
15. Do you think the compromise solution is a real first step in property tax reform or just a token political effort to end the crisis?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Real tax reform 30% 19% 41% 30% 27% 33% Token political effort 59 71 48 60 63 55 DK/NA 11 10 11 10 10 11 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Real tax reform 30% 34% 20% 28% 32% Token political effort 55 56 65 64 59 DK/NA 15 10 14 8 9
16. Would you describe Governor Corzine's actions in closing down the state government as being more of a bully or more of a leader?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Bully 42% 52% 33% 42% 42% 41% Leader 49 38 60 49 47 51 DK/NA 9 11 7 9 11 7 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Bully 32% 38% 50% 48% 43% Leader 60 54 39 42 50 DK/NA 8 9 11 10 7
17. Do you think the sales tax hike was necessary in order to balance the budget or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 47% 37% 58% 47% 44% 51% No 46 56 34 47 51 41 DK/NA 7 7 9 6 6 8 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 48% 50% 41% 45% 49% No 42 44 51 50 43 DK/NA 10 6 7 5 8
18. Who do you blame more for last week's budget crisis - Governor Corzine or the state legislature?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Corzine 19% 28% 15% 18% 20% 18% Legislature 58 48 67 60 58 59 BOTH(VOL) 14 17 10 14 14 15 NEITHER(VOL) 4 4 3 5 4 3 DK/NA 4 2 4 4 4 5 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Corzine 19% 18% 18% 20% 22% Legislature 57 61 53 61 56 BOTH(VOL) 13 14 19 14 12 NEITHER(VOL) 4 3 4 1 6 DK/NA 8 4 6 3 3
19. Would you vote against your local state legislator in the next election just because he or she voted for the state sales tax hike to end the budget crisis?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes/Would vote against 23% 29% 16% 24% 29% 18% No/Wouln't vote against 69 65 74 69 64 73 DK/NA 8 6 10 7 7 9 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes/Would vote against 27% 23% 24% 23% 22% No/Wouln't vote against 60 71 66 73 68 DK/NA 12 6 10 4 10