April 21, 2015 - New Jersey Voters Go 50 - 47 Percent For Gas Tax Hike, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Support Almost 2-1 For Millionaires' Tax To Pay Pensions PDF format Sample and Methodology detail New Jersey voters tip 50 - 47 percent toward increasing the gas tax to finance road improvements and mass transit, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This compares to a 62 - 37 percent opposition in a January 21 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University and it is the first time ever that support for a gas tax hike edges past opposition. Support is 63 - 35 percent among Democrats with opposition at 56 - 43 percent among Republicans and 51 - 46 percent among independent voters. There is almost no gender gap, but age gaps open: Voters 18 to 34 years old are divided 47 - 52 percent and voters 35 to 54 years old are divided 48 - 50 percent. Voters over 55 years old back a gas tax hike 56 - 42 percent. A total of 92 percent of New Jersey voters say the state's budget problems are "very serious" or "somewhat serious." "All the talk of fiscal doom seems to have sunk in. The perennial no-no of New Jersey politics - a gasoline tax hike - is reversed by a margin thinner than the yellow line on the highway," said Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Maurice Carroll. "Precisely 50 percent of voters, who have been hearing politicians warn for months that the Garden State is running out of money for road repairs and transit improvements, now say they'd pay more at the pump. "No one needs to convince New Jerseyans that the state has big budget problems. At just about every public event, Gov. Christopher Christie has been touting his complicated plan to attack the pension problem. Today's poll results suggest that people are listening." "Solutions? Voters like a millionaire's tax, which Gov. Christie has said he'd veto. On the broader idea of balancing the state budget, 53 percent would prefer to cut services, while 34 percent would rather raise taxes," Carroll added. New Jersey voters support 64 - 33 percent raising taxes on people who make more than $1 million to help fund public employee pensions. Among those opposed to the so-called "Millionaires' Tax," 30 percent who shift to support the tax if public employees increased their contributions to the pension funds. The state has an obligation to fix public employee pensions, even if it means raising taxes, voters say 51 - 40 percent. Public employees should use a 401 (k) type of retirement plan, instead of a set pension, voters say 55 - 35 percent. Support for the shift to a 401 (k) type plan is 72 - 17 percent among Republicans and 60 - 29 percent among independent voters. Democrats support traditional public employee pensions by a slim 49 - 42 percent. A total of 89 percent of New Jersey voters say it is "very important" or "somewhat important" to repair the existing rail tunnel between the Garden State and Manhattan. A total of 68 percent of voters say it is "very important" or "somewhat important" to add a second rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan. "The deterioration of the rail tunnel to New York - requiring a multi-multi-million dollar fix - is a big problem, especially for the 11 percent of New Jersey voters who commute to New York," Carroll said. From April 9 - 14, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,428 New Jersey voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research. For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll. 44. Would you describe the state of New Jersey's economy these days as excellent, good, not so good, or poor? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Excellent 1% 2% - - 1% - - 1% 1% Good 28 45 23 24 29 28 35 34 22 Not so good 47 41 52 49 45 48 42 43 53 Poor 23 11 24 25 23 23 22 22 23 DK/NA 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 - 2 TREND: Would you describe the state of New Jersey's economy these days as excellent, good, not so good, or poor? (*Low also 7% Feb 2009) EXCLNT+GOOD... High Low Apr 21 Jan 21 Dec 10 Aug 07 Apr 09 Oct 18 Aug 12 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2001 2009* Excellent 1 1 1 1 - 3 - Good 28 37 35 33 35 54 7 Not so good 47 43 44 46 47 37 46 Poor 23 19 19 19 16 5 45 DK/NA 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 45. Do you think New Jersey's economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Better 16% 22% 12% 16% 17% 15% 19% 16% 14% Worse 23 19 24 23 21 24 26 21 22 The same 59 58 61 58 61 57 45 62 62 DK/NA 3 1 3 3 2 4 10 1 2 TREND: Do you think New Jersey's economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? BETTER........ High Low Apr 21 Jan 21 Dec 10 Aug 07 Apr 09 Jul 10 Mar 11 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2013 2009 Better 16 23 20 20 19 33 3 Worse 23 19 20 23 17 14 61 The same 59 57 59 56 61 51 35 DK/NA 3 1 2 1 3 2 2 46. How serious do you think New Jersey's budget problems are; very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not at all serious? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Very serious 53% 45% 56% 55% 56% 50% 42% 54% 56% Smwht serious 39 46 36 37 36 40 47 37 38 Not too serious 4 6 2 4 5 3 5 4 3 Not at all serious 1 2 2 1 1 2 3 2 - DK/NA 4 2 4 4 3 5 4 4 3 TREND: How serious do you think New Jersey's budget problems are; very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not at all serious? VERY+SMWHT.... High Low Apr 21 Apr 10 Apr 21 Feb 10 Nov 11 Nov 11 Dec 11 2015 2014 2011 2011 2010 2010 2002 Very serious 53 43 79 82 86 86 35 Somewhat serious 39 44 18 15 13 13 51 Not too serious 4 8 1 2 - - 10 Not at all serious 1 1 1 1 - - 1 DK/NA 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 47. To balance the state budget, if you had to choose, would you prefer raising taxes or cutting government programs and services? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Raising taxes 34% 11% 55% 30% 36% 32% 46% 31% 33% Cutting services 53 82 29 59 55 51 47 56 52 DK/NA 13 7 15 11 8 17 7 13 14 TREND: To balance the state budget, if you had to choose, would you prefer raising taxes or cutting government programs and services? RAISE TAXES... High Low Apr 21 Apr 10 Apr 21 Feb 10 Nov 11 Apr 21 Nov 24 2015 2014 2011 2011 2010 2015 2009 Raising taxes 34 32 32 26 26 34 23 Cutting services 53 57 59 64 62 53 68 DK/NA 13 11 9 9 13 13 9 48. Would you support or oppose raising taxes on people who earn more than one million dollars to help fund public employee pensions? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Support 64% 34% 86% 62% 58% 69% 72% 66% 63% Oppose 33 64 13 35 39 29 28 33 34 DK/NA 2 2 1 3 2 2 - 2 3 48A. (If oppose q48) How about if public employees also increased their contributions to their pension funds? Would you support or oppose raising taxes on people who earn more than one million dollars to help fund public employee pensions? OPPOSE RAISING TAXES Q48 Tot Men Wom Support 30% 27% 34% Oppose 67 71 61 DK/NA 3 2 5 49. Do you believe the state of New Jersey has an obligation to fix public employee pensions, even if it means raising taxes, or don't you think so? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Yes/Obligation 51% 32% 68% 49% 53% 49% 55% 49% 53% No 40 58 24 44 41 39 37 42 38 DK/NA 9 10 9 8 7 12 7 9 9 50. Do you think public employees should continue to receive a set pension when they retire or do you think public employees should use a 401(k) type plan? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Set pension 35% 17% 49% 29% 34% 35% 34% 35% 36% 401(k) type plan 55 72 42 60 60 52 56 60 53 DK/NA 10 11 9 11 7 13 10 5 11 51. To help finance road improvements and mass transportation, would you support or oppose an increase in the gasoline tax? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Support 50% 43% 63% 46% 51% 50% 47% 48% 56% Oppose 47 56 35 51 46 48 52 50 42 DK/NA 2 1 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 AREA............................. Philly COMMUTE TO NYC Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes No Support 51% 55% 50% 49% 44% 56% 50% Oppose 46 43 50 48 53 42 48 DK/NA 3 2 - 3 3 2 2 TREND: To help finance road improvements and mass transportation, would you support or oppose an increase in the gasoline tax? SUPPORT....... High Low Apr 21 Jan 21 Dec 10 Aug 11 Nov 10 Apr 21 Dec 11 2015 2015 2014 2014 2010 2015 2007 Support 50 37 39 36 35 50 24 Oppose 47 62 58 63 63 47 74 DK/NA 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 52. There is currently one rail tunnel carrying Amtrak and NJ Transit trains between New Jersey and Manhattan. How important do you think it is to repair the existing rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan; very important, somewhat important, not so important, or not important at all? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Very important 65% 53% 73% 65% 63% 67% 66% 62% 68% Somewhat important 24 34 19 23 25 24 24 27 23 Not so important 4 5 3 4 4 4 8 3 2 Not important at all 4 4 3 4 6 2 1 4 4 DK/NA 3 3 3 3 2 3 1 4 3 AREA............................. Philly COMMUTE TO NYC Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes No Very important 79% 64% 64% 60% 62% 81% 63% Somewhat important 12 28 25 24 29 16 26 Not so important 3 4 8 3 2 2 4 Not important at all 2 3 2 9 2 1 4 DK/NA 3 2 1 4 5 - 3 TREND: There is currently one rail tunnel carrying Amtrak and NJ Transit trains between New Jersey and Manhattan. How important do you think it is to repair the existing rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan; very important, somewhat important, not so important, or not important at all? Apr 21 Jan 21 2015 2015 Very important 65 63 Somewhat important 24 29 Not so important 4 4 Not important at all 4 2 DK/NA 3 2 53. How important do you think it is to add a second rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan; very important, somewhat important, not so important, or not important at all? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Very important 35% 21% 43% 36% 38% 32% 42% 35% 34% Somewhat important 33 40 31 31 31 35 32 35 32 Not so important 17 25 15 15 16 18 20 19 15 Not important at all 10 10 6 12 11 9 4 9 11 DK/NA 5 5 5 5 4 6 2 3 8 AREA............................. Philly COMMUTE TO NYC Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes No Very important 50% 35% 31% 30% 31% 51% 33% Somewhat important 32 33 37 29 35 26 34 Not so important 9 19 19 18 18 12 18 Not important at all 6 8 9 16 9 10 10 DK/NA 3 5 4 7 7 - 6 TREND: How important do you think it is to add a second rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan; very important, somewhat important, not so important, or not important at all? Apr 21 Jan 21 2015 2015 Very important 35 32 Somewhat important 33 30 Not so important 17 22 Not important at all 10 10 DK/NA 5 5 54. Do you commute to New York City for work or not? AGE IN YRS....... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 18-34 35-54 55+ Yes 11% 10% 11% 12% 16% 7% 12% 17% 5% No 89 90 89 88 84 93 88 83 95 DK/NA - - - - - - - - - AREA............................. Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 25% 13% 7% 3% 6% No 75 87 93 97 94 DK/NA - - - - - TREND: Do you commute to New York City for work or not? Apr 21 Jan 21 Dec 10 Nov 17 Dec 21 Nov 10 2015 2015 2014 2011 2010 2010 Yes 11 9 11 10 11 11 No 89 91 89 89 89 89 DK/NA - - - - - -
