New York State (NY) Poll * February 4, 2010 * New York State Voters High On - Quinnipiac University

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February 4, 2010 - New York State Voters High On Medical Marijuana, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Freeze State Workers' Pay, Voters Say 3-1

Word format Medical marijuana is a "good idea," New York State voters say 71 - 25 percent, with support among all political, racial and regional groups, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
Even Republicans say 55 - 41 percent that adults should be allowed to use marijuana if their doctor prescribes it, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Support is strongest, 75 - 20 percent, among voters 45 to 64 years old, while voters over 65 support the idea 63 - 32 percent.
New York State voters oppose 57 - 40 percent the so-called "fat tax" proposal to tax non-diet sugary soft drinks. Democrats support the idea 53 - 44 percent, but opposition is 76 - 22 percent among Republicans and 59 - 39 percent among independent voters. New York City voters oppose the measure by a slim 50 - 47 percent, but opposition is wider among suburban and upstate voters.
The state's budget problems are "very serious," 81 percent of voters say, while 15 percent say the problems are "somewhat serious."
Only 9 percent of voters say the State Legislature has the courage to deal with difficult budget problems, while 84 percent expect "it will be business as usual in Albany."
"It hasn't attracted a lot of attention, but New York State voters would like to emulate their New Jersey neighbors and approve medical use of marijuana," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Voters of every age have entered the Age of Aquarius.
"It has attracted a lot of attention, but voters don't like Gov. David Paterson's fat-tax plan."
"Just about everyone agrees: New York is in tough shape fiscally," Carroll added. "Who's to blame? It's a split verdict, among Paterson and both parties in the Legislature. Voters doubt that legislators have the courage to do much about it."
New York State voters support term limits for Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller 77 - 18 percent and support term limits for state legislators 78 - 18 percent. Support for each measure is strong among all groups.
By a 58 - 30 percent margin, voters say cut services to balance the state budget, rather than raise taxes. But voters oppose 78 - 19 percent cutting state aid to public schools. Opposition to cuts in school aid is strong among all groups.
"For policy wonks, New York State's big school bill is a logical target for cuts. Not for voters, the schools are a herd of sacred cows," Carroll said.
A wage freeze for state workers wins 75 - 20 percent support among all New York State voters, including 68 - 25 percent among Democrats.
By a smaller 52 - 40 percent margin, voters support layoffs or furloughs for state workers to balance the budget. Democrats oppose the move 50 - 41 percent, but it wins 63 - 29 percent support among Republicans and 57 - 37 percent support among independent voters. Men support layoffs/furloughs 59 - 34 percent, but women split 46 - 46 percent.
"State employees are in the cross hairs. Layoffs win a small majority as a budget-balancer and a wage freeze wins a big 3-1 majority," Carroll said.
From January 27 - February 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,182 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.1 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 or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.
24. Who would you like to control the state senate - the Democrats or the Republicans?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Democrats 47% 4% 89% 34% 43% 51% 37% 84% Republicans 33 87 2 34 38 30 42 5 DK/NA 20 9 9 33 20 20 21 11 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Democrats 56% 36% 38% 63% 37% Republicans 22 40 37 21 45 DK/NA 21 25 24 16 18
TREND: Who would you like to control the state senate - the Democrats or the Republicans?
Feb 4 Jun 22 2010 2009 Democrats 47 50 Republicans 33 30 DK/NA 20 20
25. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of years New York State's Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller can hold office?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Favor 77% 81% 71% 79% 74% 79% 78% 74% Oppose 18 16 22 17 21 16 18 22 DK/NA 5 4 7 4 5 5 5 4 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Favor 79% 79% 79% 75% 75% Oppose 12 16 15 20 22 DK/NA 10 5 6 5 3
26. Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose setting limits on the number of years members of the state legislature can hold office?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Favor 78% 79% 73% 82% 75% 81% 79% 75% Oppose 18 17 20 16 21 15 17 21 DK/NA 4 4 6 2 4 4 4 4 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Favor 80% 82% 81% 78% 73% Oppose 15 13 13 19 25 DK/NA 5 5 5 4 2
27. Do you approve or disapprove of the way David Paterson is handling the state budget?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 33% 21% 39% 35% 41% 26% 32% 48% Disapprove 57 69 49 58 51 62 59 44 DK/NA 10 10 12 7 7 12 9 8 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Approve 33% 32% 32% 36% 30% Disapprove 56 61 60 53 57 DK/NA 11 8 8 10 12
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way David Paterson is handling the state budget? (*handled the state budget)
Feb 4 Aug 18 Apr 6 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 Apr 17 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008* Approve 33 25 19 36 42 40 52 Disapprove 57 61 70 45 43 46 18 DK/NA 10 15 11 19 15 14 29
28. How serious do you think New York State's budget problems are - very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not at all serious?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Very serious 81% 83% 75% 85% 80% 82% 83% 75% Smwht serious 15 13 18 13 16 13 15 16 Not too serious 3 3 4 1 3 3 1 3 Not at all serious 1 1 1 - 1 1 - 4 DK/NA 1 - 2 - - 1 - 1 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Very serious 83% 86% 86% 79% 76% Smwht serious 15 12 12 15 20 Not too serious - 1 1 4 4 Not at all serious 2 1 1 1 - DK/NA - - - 1 1
TREND: How serious do you think New York State's budget problems are - very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not at all serious? (Combined high also 96% Dec 2008 / *Combined low also 92% Dec 2002)
VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Feb 4 Aug 18 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 Feb 4 Nov 6 2010 2009 2009 2009 2008 2010 2003* Very serious 81 65 69 74 71 81 62 Smwht serious 15 28 26 21 25 15 30 Not too serious 3 5 4 2 3 3 5 Not at all serious 1 1 - 1 - 1 1 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
29. Who do you think is most to blame for New York State's budget problems - Governor Paterson, the Republicans in the state legislature or the Democrats in the state legislature?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Gov Paterson 13% 16% 15% 10% 10% 16% 15% 9% Reps in leg 24 4 44 18 23 26 18 50 Dems in leg 24 53 6 27 32 18 29 8 DK/NA 38 27 35 45 35 41 38 33 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Gov Paterson 15% 19% 18% 9% 11% Reps in leg 22 16 17 36 20 Dems in leg 24 25 25 18 34 DK/NA 39 40 40 37 36
30. Do you think the state legislature has the political courage to make unpopular budgetary decisions or do you think it will be business as usual in Albany?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Has courage 9% 11% 11% 7% 8% 11% 10% 10% Business as usual 84 84 80 88 88 80 85 81 DK/NA 7 6 9 4 4 9 6 9 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Has courage 8% 9% 9% 9% 11% Business as usual 83 86 86 82 84 DK/NA 9 5 5 9 5
TREND: Do you think the state legislature has the political courage to make unpopular budgetary decisions or do you think it will be business as usual in Albany?
Feb 4 Aug 18 Feb 18 Jan 15 2010 2009 2009 2009 Has courage 9 8 18 20 Business as usual 84 87 74 71 DK/NA 7 5 8 9
31. To balance the state budget, if you had to choose, would you prefer raising taxes or cutting government programs and services?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Raising taxes 30% 12% 45% 25% 24% 35% 23% 50% Cutting services 58 81 40 63 67 51 66 37 DK/NA 12 7 15 12 9 14 11 13 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Raising taxes 41% 20% 23% 42% 22% Cutting services 47 68 65 45 67 DK/NA 13 12 12 13 11
TREND: To balance the state budget, if you had to choose, would you prefer - raising taxes or cutting government programs and services?
Feb 4 Aug 18 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 Aug 6 2010 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 Raising taxes 30 33 34 30 36 32 Cutting services 58 54 51 56 53 56 DK/NA 12 13 15 14 11 12
32. To help balance the state budget do you support or oppose layoffs or furloughs for state employees?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 52% 63% 41% 57% 59% 46% 58% 37% Oppose 40 29 50 37 34 46 34 58 DK/NA 8 9 9 6 6 9 8 5 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Support 49% 57% 56% 46% 55% Oppose 41 35 36 48 36 DK/NA 10 8 8 7 9
TREND: To help balance the state budget do you support or oppose - layoffs or furloughs for state employees?
Feb 4 Dec 16 2010 2009 Support 52 44 Oppose 40 47 DK/NA 8 9
33. To help balance the state budget, do you support or oppose a wage freeze for state workers?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 75% 79% 68% 81% 77% 73% 79% 67% Oppose 20 15 25 16 20 21 16 27 DK/NA 5 6 7 3 4 6 5 6 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Support 74% 79% 78% 70% 77% Oppose 19 17 17 25 17 DK/NA 7 4 4 5 6
TREND: To help balance the state budget, do you support or oppose a wage freeze for state workers?
Feb 4 Dec 16 2010 2009 Support 75 68 Oppose 20 28 DK/NA 5 5
34. To help balance the state budget, do you support or oppose cutting state aid to public schools?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 19% 32% 11% 21% 25% 14% 23% 10% Oppose 78 66 87 77 72 83 74 89 DK/NA 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 1 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Support 22% 23% 23% 14% 22% Oppose 72 75 74 85 75 DK/NA 5 2 3 1 3
35. There is a proposal for an "obesity tax" or a "fat tax" on non-diet sugary soft drinks. Do you support or oppose such a measure?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Support 40% 22% 53% 39% 39% 42% 38% 49% Oppose 57 76 44 59 59 55 60 46 DK/NA 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 5 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Support 43% 34% 35% 47% 38% Oppose 53 63 62 50 60 DK/NA 4 2 3 2 2
TREND: There is a proposal for an "obesity tax" or a "fat tax" on non-diet sugary soft drinks. Do you support or oppose such a measure?
Feb 4 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 2010 2009 2009 2008 Support 40 31 32 37 Oppose 57 65 64 60 DK/NA 2 3 3 3
36. Which would you say that you drink more often - diet soft drinks or regular, non-diet soft drinks?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Diet soft drinks 32% 38% 28% 32% 34% 30% 37% 16% Regular 37 37 40 35 39 35 32 57 DK/NA 32 25 32 33 27 35 32 27 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Diet soft drinks 32% 35% 35% 26% 35% Regular 39 33 34 42 33 DK/NA 29 32 31 32 32
TREND: Which would you say that you drink more often - diet soft drinks or regular, non-diet soft drinks?
Feb 4 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec 24 2010 2009 2009 2008 Diet 32 29 30 31 Regular 37 37 40 38 DK/NA 32 35 30 31
37. There is a proposal in the state legislature that would allow adults to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if their doctor prescribes it. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Good idea 71% 55% 78% 73% 71% 71% 72% 68% Bad idea 25 41 19 23 25 24 24 30 DK/NA 4 4 3 4 3 5 4 2 UpState..... UpState Urban Othr Total NYC Sub Good idea 76% 68% 69% 72% 73% Bad idea 22 27 26 25 22 DK/NA 2 5 4 4 6 AGE IN YEARS............. 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Good idea 73% 73% 75% 63% Bad idea 23 24 20 32 DK/NA 3 3 5 6