October 15, 2009 - Merge Local Services To Cut Taxes, NJ Voters Say 2-1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Slim Majority Back State Worker Layoffs, Furloughs Word format New Jersey voters support 65 - 28 percent merging local governments and school districts to reduce property taxes, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support is consistent across the political spectrum and in every region of the state. By a slim 51 - 43 percent margin, New Jersey voters support layoffs or furloughs for state workers to help balance the budget, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Democrats oppose worker cutbacks 57 - 36 percent. The move wins 60 - 34 percent support from Republicans and 58 - 37 percent backing from independent voters. By a much larger 69 - 25 percent margin, voters say state employees should pay more for health care. Even Democrats support this move 67 - 28 percent. New Jersey voters oppose 61 - 36 percent raising the gas tax to pay for road and mass transit improvements, with opposition from all political and regional groups. Voters also oppose 61 - 35 percent broadening the sales tax to cover things like seashore rentals and legal fees. Again, the opposition covers all groups. "Policy wonks always favor the idea of merging municipalities and school districts. As property taxes soar, more and more voters agree," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "The devil, of course, is in the details. Let's see how many New Jersey politicians are willing to vote themselves or their friends out of a job." "Broaden the sales tax to include things such as lawyer's fees and seashore rentals? No way, say three fifths of New Jerseyans. Raise gasoline taxes as independent Christopher Daggett suggested in the first governor's debate? No way, again by more than 60 percent." New Jersey voters split 44 - 46 percent on whether teacher unions are playing a positive or negative role in improving New Jersey's educational system. Democrats say 58 - 29 percent that teacher unions play a positive role. Unions get a 57 - 34 percent negative vote from Republicans and a 56 - 36 percent thumbs down from independent voters. Looking at other education questions, New Jersey voters: Support 70 - 27 percent merit pay for teachers who do an outstanding job; Support 67 - 28 percent making it easier to fire teachers; Oppose school vouchers 52 - 46 percent; Oppose charter schools 49 - 42 percent. "Voters don't much like charter schools or school vouchers," Carroll said. "Are teacher unions a positive or negative? Voters are divided. But they'd like to do a couple of things that the union opposes - put in merit pay for good teachers and make it easier to fire bad teachers." From October 7 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,264 New Jersey likely voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally 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. 6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 25% 10% 44% 17% 22% 28% Disapprove 62 78 41 73 70 55 DK/NA 13 12 15 10 8 17 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 39% 23% 27% 21% 23% Disapprove 46 62 64 65 68 DK/NA 15 15 10 15 9 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Oct 15 Sep 30 Sep 1 Aug 11 Jul 14 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 Approve 25 24 25 23 27 Disapprove 62 61 64 63 59 DK/NA 13 15 11 15 13 7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 55% 19% 86% 52% 51% 60% Disapprove 40 76 10 43 45 36 DK/NA 5 4 4 5 4 5 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 76% 55% 45% 64% 44% Disapprove 19 41 48 32 52 DK/NA 5 4 8 4 4 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? LIKELY VOTERS................. Oct 15 Sep 30 Sep 1 Jul 14 2009 2009 2009 2009 Approve 55 56 51 60 Disapprove 40 39 43 34 DK/NA 5 5 6 6 8. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New Jersey today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very satisfied 3% 1% 7% 1% 3% 3% Smwht satisfied 29 9 50 27 27 31 Smwht dissatisfied 30 36 24 31 28 32 Very dissatisfied 37 54 19 41 42 33 DK/NA - - - - - - Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Very satisfied 3% 4% 5% 2% 1% Smwht satisfied 44 33 19 33 22 Smwht dissatisfied 27 27 36 32 29 Very dissatisfied 26 36 40 34 47 DK/NA - - - - - TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New Jersey today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Oct 15 Sep 30 Sep 1 Aug 11 Sep 28 2009 2009 2009 2009 2005 Very satisfied 3 2 2 4 3 Smwht satisfied 29 30 28 29 34 Smwht dissatisfied 30 33 32 30 33 Very dissatisfied 37 34 37 36 28 DK/NA - - 1 1 - 22. One recommendation to raise the money needed to fund a cut in property taxes is to merge neighboring municipal governments and school districts. Would you support or oppose merging school districts or governments in the county in which you live if it meant lowering your property taxes? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 65% 66% 65% 65% 68% 62% Oppose 28 28 28 29 26 30 DK/NA 6 6 6 7 6 7 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 56% 63% 68% 64% 73% Oppose 38 29 27 30 20 DK/NA 5 8 5 6 7 23. To help finance road improvements and mass transportation, would you support or oppose an increase in the gasoline tax? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 36% 24% 44% 39% 43% 30% Oppose 61 71 52 60 55 66 DK/NA 3 6 4 1 2 4 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 38% 35% 37% 43% 30% Oppose 59 61 62 55 65 DK/NA 4 5 1 2 5 24. To help balance the state budget do you support or oppose - layoffs or furloughs for state employees? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 51% 60% 36% 58% 59% 43% Oppose 43 34 57 37 36 50 DK/NA 6 5 7 5 5 7 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 43% 51% 51% 46% 60% Oppose 53 42 43 50 34 DK/NA 4 7 7 4 6 25. To help balance the state budget do you support or oppose - more state employee contributions for health care? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 69% 70% 67% 70% 71% 67% Oppose 25 24 28 22 24 26 DK/NA 6 5 5 8 5 7 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 63% 65% 72% 69% 76% Oppose 29 27 23 26 20 DK/NA 9 8 5 5 4 26. To help balance the state budget do you support or oppose - broadening the sales tax to cover things like legal fees and seashore rentals? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 35% 26% 43% 35% 37% 33% Oppose 61 70 53 61 60 62 DK/NA 4 4 4 4 3 5 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 41% 34% 27% 44% 30% Oppose 55 60 70 52 66 DK/NA 4 5 3 3 4 27. Do you support or oppose - cutting business taxes? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 56% 73% 41% 56% 63% 49% Oppose 38 21 52 38 33 44 DK/NA 6 6 7 6 4 8 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Support 41% 53% 51% 66% 63% Oppose 55 41 43 28 29 DK/NA 4 6 6 5 8 28. Do you favor or oppose providing parents with tax money in the form of school vouchers to help pay for their children to attend private or religious schools? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favor 46% 55% 35% 49% 49% 43% Oppose 52 41 62 48 48 54 DK/NA 3 4 3 2 3 3 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Favor 54% 47% 40% 47% 43% Oppose 43 51 58 50 53 DK/NA 3 3 2 3 4 TREND: Do you favor or oppose providing parents with tax money in the form of school vouchers to help pay for their children to attend private or religious schools? LIKELY VOTERS Oct 15 Oct 30 2009 2001 Favor 46 42 Oppose 52 51 DK/NA 3 7 29. As you may know, charter schools are operated by private or non-profit organizations. The schools are paid for with tax dollars. Do you think there should be an expansion of charter schools in New Jersey or not? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 42% 41% 42% 45% 44% 41% No 49 50 48 47 48 49 DK/NA 9 9 10 8 8 10 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 49% 46% 40% 44% 34% No 44 46 47 47 58 DK/NA 7 8 13 9 8 30. Generally speaking, do you believe the teachers' unions are playing a positive or a negative role in improving New Jersey's educational system? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Positive 44% 34% 58% 36% 42% 45% Negative 46 57 29 56 50 41 DK/NA 11 9 13 8 8 13 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Positive 44% 44% 38% 49% 43% Negative 44 43 52 39 51 DK/NA 12 13 10 12 7 31. 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? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Good idea 70% 65% 74% 69% 73% 67% Bad idea 27 32 23 29 25 30 DK/NA 3 3 3 3 2 3 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Good idea 78% 74% 62% 72% 64% Bad idea 18 23 37 24 34 DK/NA 4 3 2 3 3 32. Some people have suggested firing public school teachers should be made easier. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Good idea 67% 71% 56% 77% 73% 61% Bad idea 28 23 38 18 23 31 DK/NA 6 6 6 5 4 8 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Good idea 61% 70% 68% 62% 69% Bad idea 34 25 25 32 26 DK/NA 5 5 8 6 5
