New York City (NYC) Poll * February 27, 2003 * No Bridge Tolls Or Fees To Dri - Quinnipiac University

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February 27, 2003 - No Bridge Tolls Or Fees To Drive In Manhattan, New Yorkers Tell Quinnipiac University Poll; But Tax The Commuters, City Voters Say 3 - 1

By a 65 - 31 percent margin, New York City voters say it's a "bad idea" to place tolls on the free East River bridges, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
And by an equally solid 61 - 36 percent margin, New Yorkers say it's a "bad idea" to charge a fee for single passenger cars driving into Manhattan, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
But New York City voters support 73 - 25 percent charging a commuter tax on suburbanites who work in the city.
"People from Brooklyn and Queens don't pay to cross the street. Why, New Yorkers ask, should they pay to cross the river. Even though 63 percent of New Yorkers use mass transit to get to Manhattan, they don't want to follow London's lead and charge a fee to drive there," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"But there's no surprise that three quarters of New York City voters want their suburban cousins to help pay the city's bills. When Quinnipiac University asks this question of voters statewide, upstaters say suburban commuters should pay something - an opinion not shared by suburban voters."
New York City's budget problems are "very serious" or "somewhat serious," 92 percent of voters say. Cut spending to balance the city budget, 44 percent of voters say, while 17 percent say raise taxes and 26 say borrow more money.
If spending must be cut, start with social services, 28 percent say, followed by 20 percent for sanitation, 10 percent for police, 5 percent for schools and 4 percent for firefighters.
And when asked what budget areas should be spared the axe, 43 percent say schools, followed by 20 percent for police, 10 percent for social services, 7 percent for firefighters and 3 percent for sanitation.
By a 54 - 42 percent margin, New Yorkers oppose increasing City University tuition.
"If City Hall has to cut the budget, start with social services, New Yorkers say. Spare the schools and the police. And even though this survey was conducted on the heels of a blizzard, sanitation workers get no respect," Carroll said.
In an open-ended question, allowing for any answer, 31 percent of New York City voters listed the economy or jobs as the most important problem facing the city, followed by 17 percent who list the budget or government spending and 12 percent who list terrorism or security.
"Once upon a time, New Yorkers were most concerned about crime. Now it's money - the economy, and budgets and taxes - followed by terrorism. Only 3 percent list crime as their biggest worry," Carroll said.
From February 19 - 24, Quinnipiac University surveyed 889 New York City registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percent.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu or call (203) 582-5201
TREND: What do you think is the most important problem facing New York City today? (*Percentages do not add up to 100% since only the most frequently cited problems are reported in this table.)
Crime Educ. Economy Race Police Budget Taxes Terrorism (Total) (Total) (Total) rel brut July 18, 2002 11 21 29 1 1 6 1 8 March 28, 2002 5 15 30 1 -- 3 - 11 August 3, 2000 19 15 6 9 6 - 1 - April 20, 2000 16 14 3 12 14 - 1 - February 17, 1999 18 14 5 9 14 - 2 - August 5, 1997 21 19 12 3 1 3 2 - February 12, 1997 30 19 14 3 -- 3 3 - November 19, 1996 30 15 13 2 1 4 1 - July 29, 1996 37 10 15 3 -- 5 1 - February 20, 1996 32 14 16 3 -- 7 2 - April 21, 1996 35 12 15 2 -- 7 2 - October 26, 1995 28 19 11 4 -- 4 2 - July 20, 1995 29 14 15 2 -- 7 1 - December 20, 1994 50 5 14 2 -- 4 4 -
3. What do you think is the most important problem facing New York City today?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Budget/Spending Total 17% 17% 16% 18% 24% 11% 8% 22% 13% 19% Budget/Spending general 10 9 10 10 14 8 4 14 7 14 Budget cuts/Cuts in services 2 1 1 4 2 1 2 1 2 1 Budget deficits 4 5 4 3 6 2 2 6 3 3 Budget other 1 2 1 1 2 - - 1 1 1 Taxes total 5% 10% 2% 8% 6% 3% 4% 7% 3% 4% Taxes general 4 8 2 7 6 2 2 6 3 3 Property tax 1 2 - 1 - 1 2 1 - 1 Economy total 31% 29% 32% 29% 28% 33% 29% 32% 29% 30% Economy general 16 17 16 16 18 13 10 19 13 15 Unemployment/jobs 14 12 15 12 9 19 19 13 15 13 Economy other 1 - 1 1 1 1 - - 1 2 Housing total 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% - 3% 1% Housing general 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - 2 0 Overcrowding 1 1 - 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 Education total 10% 9% 11% 8% 8% 11% 13% 6% 12% 12% Education general 7 3 9 7 6 7 11 5 9 10 Teachers 1 2 - - - 1 1 - 1 1 Education other 2 4 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 Terrorism/ Security total 12% 12% 12% 11% 11% 11% 16% 8% 14% 10% Terrorism general 6 5 7 7 6 5 10 5 7 7 Security/Safety 2 4 1 3 3 - 3 2 2 1 War 3 3 3 - 1 5 3 1 4 1 Terrorism other 1 - 1 1 1 1 - - 1 1 Crime/Violence general 3% 5% 3% 2% 2% 4% 4% 2% 3% 2% Poverty/Homelessness 3 - 4 4 2 5 2 3 3 4 Children's issues 1 - 1 - - 1 1 - 1 1 Racism/Race relations 1 - 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 1 Transportation/ General 2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 - 1 Politicians/ Campaigns general 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 Immigration 1 2 - 2 1 - 1 - 1 1 Other 2 1 3 3 2 3 2 1 3 1 DK/NA 4 4 4 2 4 3 6 3 4 4
19. Would you describe the state of New York City's economy these days as: Excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Excellent 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% - 2% 0% 1% -% Good 13 19 10 12 13 11 14 12 13 13 Not so good 52 51 50 59 50 54 58 53 51 48 Poor 34 28 38 28 36 35 25 33 35 38 DK/NA 1 1 1 - 1 - 2 1 1 -
20. During the next 12 months, do you think the economic conditions in New York City will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Get better 25% 39% 22% 23% 22% 26% 29% 30% 22% 24% Get worse 32 19 38 26 27 36 33 27 36 35 Stay the same 38 35 37 47 44 35 36 39 38 38 DK/NA 4 6 3 4 6 3 2 5 4 3
21. Would you describe the state of your own personal finances these days as:excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Excellent 5% 6% 5% 4% 8% 3% 6% 6% 5% 6% Good 45 50 45 45 54 36 35 51 41 51 Not so good 35 32 36 37 27 43 40 31 38 28 Poor 13 7 13 13 6 18 20 12 14 14 DK/NA 2 5 1 1 4 - - 1 2 1
22. Would you say that you are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Better off 31% 28% 34% 31% 25% 39% 35% 33% 30% 33% Worse off 44 42 40 49 45 41 44 43 44 42 SAME(VOL) 23 31 23 19 28 19 19 23 23 23 DK/NA 2 - 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2
23. During the next 12 months, do you think your own personal finances will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Get better 38% 37% 40% 34% 29% 51% 39% 39% 36% 32% Get worse 11 12 10 12 12 6 13 10 12 11 Stay the same 49 51 48 49 57 40 44 47 50 56 DK/NA 3 - 2 4 2 2 4 3 3 1
24. Mayor Bloomberg is trying to balance the city budget. Do you think he should raise taxes, cut spending, or borrow money?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Raise taxes 17% 12% 20% 13% 24% 11% 10% 19% 16% 18% Cut spending 44 48 41 51 41 52 38 46 43 46 Borrow money 26 30 28 21 21 25 39 24 28 24 DK/NA 13 11 12 15 14 12 13 12 14 12
25. How serious do you think New York City's budget problems are - very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, not at all serious?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Very serious 63% 53% 69% 57% 64% 66% 58% 64% 62% 68% Smwht serious 29 39 24 36 31 24 29 27 30 25 Not too serious 5 7 5 5 3 6 7 7 4 4 Not at all serious 1 1 1 1 - 2 3 1 1 3 DK/NA 2 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 3 -
26. To balance the city budget, if you had to choose, which city tax do you think should be increased - (read options)
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Personal income tax 19% 14% 21% 18% 23% 14% 17% 22% 16% 18% Sales tax 41 50 39 40 39 46 39 40 42 43 Property tax 26 22 28 25 25 24 28 26 26 25 DK/NA 15 15 13 17 13 16 16 13 16 13
27. To balance the city budget, if you had to choose, where do you think city spending should be decreased - (read options)
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Public schools 5% 11% 3% 8% 6% 6% 4% 5% 6% 4% Police 10 - 12 11 6 14 12 12 9 12 Firefighters 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 5 3 3 Sanitation 20 22 23 14 20 18 25 20 21 20 Social services 28 50 21 34 31 23 29 30 26 28 DK/NA 32 15 37 29 33 35 27 27 36 33
28. And if you had to choose, where do you think city spending should not be decreased - (read options)
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Public schools 43% 32% 47% 39% 32% 52% 50% 42% 44% 43% Police 20 32 16 24 26 12 18 23 17 16 Firefighters 7 12 5 9 8 7 3 7 7 11 Sanitation 3 6 3 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 Social services 10 9 10 9 9 10 11 10 9 8 DK/NA 18 10 19 17 21 14 15 15 19 20
29. To help balance the city budget, would you support or oppose increasing tuition at CUNY, the City University of New York?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Support 42% 60% 36% 46% 56% 30% 29% 43% 41% 40% Oppose 54 38 60 49 39 66 70 54 55 58 DK/NA 4 2 3 5 5 4 2 3 4 3
30. Do you think that New York State suburban residents who work in New York City should pay a New York City income tax to help cover the cost of city services or not?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Yes 73% 74% 71% 75% 77% 68% 66% 75% 70% 80% No 25 26 25 23 21 27 32 22 26 19 DK/NA 3 - 4 2 2 4 3 2 3 1
32. Some people have suggested that New York City should place tolls on the free East River bridges. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Good idea 31% 30% 31% 32% 38% 22% 30% 31% 31% 28% Bad idea 65 67 66 63 58 72 69 67 64 70 DK/NA 4 4 3 5 4 6 1 2 6 2 TRAVEL INTO MANHATTAN BY(q34) Car Mass transit Good idea 28 32 Bad idea 70 64 DK/NA 2 5
33. Some people have suggested that New York City should charge single passenger cars a fee to drive into Manhattan. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Good idea 36% 34% 35% 43% 46% 22% 29% 40% 33% 35% Bad idea 61 64 64 53 50 76 70 58 63 63 DK/NA 3 2 1 4 3 3 1 1 4 2 TRAVEL INTO MANHATTAN BY(q34) Car Mass transit Good idea 31 39 Bad idea 67 58 DK/NA 2 3
34. How do you usually travel into and out of Manhattan, by car or mass transit?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Men Wom HsHold Car 31% 41% 29% 29% 34% 25% 28% 33% 29% 37% Mass transit 63 51 66 64 57 73 69 62 64 58 DK/NA 6 8 5 7 9 3 3 5 7 5