New York State (NY) Poll * March 24, 2008 * State Voters Back NYC Traffic - Quinnipiac University

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March 24, 2008 - State Voters Back NYC Traffic Fee 2-1, If Funds Go To Transit, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Back Millionaire's Tax 4-1

Word format New York State voters oppose 50 - 33 percent a proposal to reduce New York City traffic by charging a fee for vehicles driven south of 60th Street in Manhattan, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
But voters statewide support congestion pricing 60 - 30 percent if proceeds from congestion pricing fees are used to improve mass transit in and around New York City, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
New York City voters support the plan, if the money is used for mass transit improvements, 67 - 27 percent, while suburban voters support it 51 - 43 percent. Upstate voters support it 59 - 26 percent. Republicans support the proposal 53 - 38 percent, while Democrats support it 67 - 23 percent and independent voters support it 58 - 35 percent.
But 50 percent of voters say it is "not too likely" or "not likely at all" that congestion pricing money would be used for mass transit, while 42 percent say this is "very likely" or "somewhat likely."
"The clock is ticking on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion-pricing plan. The State Legislature must act soon. New Yorkers don't like the idea unless the money goes to help mass transit. Then they approve," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Would politicians really steer the money to mass transit? Half of us are skeptical."
New York State voters also support 77 - 19 percent a plan to raise state income taxes by 1 percent on people making more than one million dollars a year. Even Republicans back the so- called "Millionaire's Tax" 65 - 31 percent, while Democrats back it 83 - 13 percent and independent voters back it 81 - 16 percent.
"Remember that old verse: 'Don't tax you; don't tax me; tax the guy behind the tree?' If the guy behind the tree is a millionaire, New Yorkers overwhelmingly like the idea of raising his taxes," Carroll said.
"Could the 19 percent opposed to the idea be millionaires?
"Democrats in the Assembly don't like congestion pricing, but they do like the 'Millionaire's Tax.' Republicans in the Senate don't like hiking taxes, but they did get that $500,000 from Mayor Bloomberg, who wants congestion pricing.
"And this survey shows voters are OK with both ideas.
"Can we connect the dots?"
From March 16 - 18, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,528 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 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 --http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.
7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Hillary Clinton is handling her job as United States Senator?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 64% 37% 83% 59% 59% 68% 61% 75% Disapprove 29 54 13 34 34 25 32 21 DK/NA 7 9 4 8 7 6 8 3 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Approve 63% 57% 58% 71% 64% 64% 64% Disapprove 27 36 35 22 30 28 30 DK/NA 9 7 7 6 6 8 6
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Hillary Clinton is handling her job as United States Senator?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 24 Dec 12 Oct 2 Jul 31 Jun 20 Dec 14 Feb 14 2008 2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2001 Approve 64 64 65 63 67 72 38 Disapprove 29 29 30 30 27 23 30 DK/NA 7 7 5 7 5 5 33
8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charles Schumer is handling his job as United States Senator?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 66% 52% 75% 65% 67% 65% 66% 69% Disapprove 18 32 10 19 20 16 18 15 DK/NA 16 17 15 16 13 19 16 16 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Approve 57% 60% 60% 70% 73% 60% 70% Disapprove 21 20 20 16 18 20 17 DK/NA 22 20 20 15 9 20 13
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charles Schumer is handling his job as United States Senator? *also 69% on 10/02/01
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 24 Dec 12 Oct 2 Jul 31 Jun 20 Dec 8 Apr 15 2008 2007 2007 2007 2007 2004* 1999 Approve 66 59 63 63 64 69 51 Disapprove 18 22 20 21 21 16 22 DK/NA 16 19 17 16 15 15 28
9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Andrew Cuomo is handling his job as State Attorney General?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 59% 56% 61% 59% 58% 59% 59% 63% Disapprove 12 17 8 13 13 11 11 15 DK/NA 30 27 31 28 29 30 30 22 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Approve 55% 54% 54% 62% 62% 51% 64% Disapprove 17 13 13 11 11 13 11 DK/NA 28 33 33 27 28 36 25
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Andrew Cuomo is handling his job as State Attorney General?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Mar 24 Oct 2 Jul 31 Jun 19 Apr 4 Jul 31 Feb 13 2008 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 Approve 59 62 68 59 53 68 42 Disapprove 12 17 19 18 17 19 16 DK/NA 30 21 14 23 30 14 42
11. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Very satisfied 3% 2% 6% 2% 5% 3% 2% 6% Smwht satisfied 34 30 36 35 35 34 34 30 Smwht dissatisfied 37 43 35 37 37 38 37 37 Very dissatisfied 23 22 22 25 22 25 25 24 DK/NA 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 4 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Very satisfied 4% 1% 1% 7% 2% 5% 3% Smwht satisfied 21 27 26 41 40 40 32 Smwht dissatisfied 48 40 41 33 36 31 40 Very dissatisfied 26 31 30 17 21 24 23 DK/NA 1 2 2 2 - 1 2
TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Mar 24 Dec 12 May 17 Mar 29 Jan 20 Dec 20 Oct 5 2008 2007 2006 2006 2006 2005 2005 Very satisfied 3 5 3 3 5 4 4 Somewhat satisfied 34 44 36 42 41 47 44 Somewhat dissatisfied 37 33 35 34 32 32 32 Very dissatisfied 23 18 26 20 21 16 19 DK/NA 2 1 - 1 1 2 1
33. There is a proposal to raise, by nearly 1 percentage point, the state income tax paid by people who earn more than a million dollars a year. Do you support or oppose this proposal?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 77% 65% 83% 81% 75% 79% 78% 77% Oppose 19 31 13 16 23 16 18 20 DK/NA 4 5 4 3 2 5 4 3 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Support 66% 78% 76% 79% 76% 77% 78% Oppose 33 19 21 16 18 19 18 DK/NA 1 3 3 4 6 4 4
34. There is a proposal to use congestion pricing to reduce traffic in New York City by charging a fee for vehicles that drive south of 60th Street in Manhattan. Do you support or oppose this congestion pricing plan?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 33% 29% 37% 34% 36% 31% 33% 27% Oppose 50 51 49 51 50 51 48 65 DK/NA 16 20 14 15 14 18 19 9 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Support 24% 30% 29% 40% 30% 40% 30% Oppose 49 41 42 53 63 51 50 DK/NA 27 29 29 6 7 9 19
35. Would you support congestion pricing if the money were used to improve mass transit in and around New York City?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Yes 60% 53% 67% 58% 60% 60% 57% 67% No 30 38 23 35 31 29 33 22 DK/NA 10 10 9 8 8 11 10 11 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Yes 69% 57% 59% 67% 51% 71% 55% No 20 27 26 27 43 25 33 DK/NA 11 16 15 6 6 5 12
36. How likely do you think it is that the money from congestion pricing would be used to improve mass transit in and around New York City? Very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely or not likely at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Very likely 8% 6% 12% 6% 10% 7% 7% 13% Smwht likely 34 31 40 29 32 35 32 38 Not too likely 24 27 20 28 24 24 25 13 Not likely at all 26 29 22 29 26 26 27 30 DK/NA 7 7 6 7 7 7 8 6 UpState..... UpState Age Age Urban Othr Total NYC Sub 18-44 45+ Very likely 6% 6% 6% 14% 5% 9% 8% Smwht likely 29 34 33 37 30 37 33 Not too likely 23 25 25 21 29 24 24 Not likely at all 31 26 27 23 30 26 27 DK/NA 11 9 10 6 6 5 8