New Yorkers Give Amazon A Prime 2-1 Welcome, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; But Voters Are Divided On Tax Breaks To Make The Deal

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New York City voters approve 57 - 26 percent, including 60 - 26 percent among Queens voters, "of Amazon locating one of its new headquarters in Long Island City in Queens," according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today.

Voters are divided, however, on the $3 billion in city and state incentives to attract Amazon, as 46 percent support the incentives, with 44 percent opposed, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds.

Support for the Amazon relocation in general ranges from 51 - 29 percent in Manhattan to 64 - 21 percent in The Bronx.

Queens voters support 55 - 39 percent the $3 billion incentive package to attract Amazon. Opinions in other boroughs are:
  • Manhattan - Opposed 52 - 39 percent;
  • Brooklyn - Slightly opposed 46 - 40 percent;
  • The Bronx - Support 54 - 37 percent;
  • Staten Island - Divided, with 47 percent in support and 49 percent opposed.
"While New Yorkers give the thumbs up to Amazon moving one of its new headquarters to Long Island City, they are divided over the sizeable carrot offered to the online retail giant. They are united, however, in their view that New York City should have more of a say about Amazon's plans," said Mary Snow, polling analyst for the Quinnipiac University Poll.

New York City voters say 54 - 41 percent, including 54 - 41 percent among Queens voters, they do not have any concerns about Amazon's plans to build one of its headquarters in Long Island City.

Among New York City voters worried about Amazon coming to Queens, housing is the biggest concern for 31 percent, as 25 percent are most concerned about transportation, with 20 percent most concerned about quality of life and 19 percent concerned about all of these issues.

New York City should be more involved in bringing Amazon to Long Island City, 79 percent of city voters say.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gets mixed grades for his handling of the Amazon deal, as 34 percent approve and 38 percent disapprove.

Mayor de Blasio's Approval

Voters disapprove 31 - 38 percent of the way Mayor Bill de Blasio handled the Amazon deal. Queens voters are divided as 34 percent approve and 32 percent disapprove.

New York City voters give Mayor de Blasio an overall 43 - 40 percent job approval rating, his worst net score since a divided 45 - 46 percent approval rating in a January 18, 2017, Quinnipiac University poll.

The racial divide that has marked the mayor's approval rating since he first took office remains: Approval is 55 - 21 percent among black voters and 53 - 31 percent among Hispanic voters, as white voters disapprove 56 - 32 percent.

"While New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio are often at odds, they do share something in common. Both receive low grades for their handling of the Amazon deal. One asterisk: Roughly 30 percent of respondents say they don't know the details enough to give them a grade," Snow said.

Shopping Amazon

Most New York City voters shop on Amazon:
  • 36 percent say they make a purchase less than once a week;
  • 21 percent say they make a purchase once a week;
  • 14 percent say they make a purchase more than once a week;
  • 25 percent say they never make a purchase.
From November 27 - December 4, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,075 New York City voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points, including the design effect.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts gold standard surveys using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts nationwide surveys and polls in more than a dozen states on national and statewide elections, as well as public policy issues.

Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll

Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill de Blasio is handling his job as mayor? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Approve              43%    13%    54%    35%    41%    44%    32%    55%    53%
Disapprove           40     80     28     46     43     37     56     21     31
DK/NA                17      8     18     19     17     18     13     23     16
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Approve              50%    46%    37%    44%    21%    40%    45%    44%    41%
Disapprove           33     37     48     35     68     36     44     39     43
DK/NA                17     18     15     21     11     24     11     17     16
2. How frequently do you make a purchase on Amazon: never, less than once a week, once a week, or more than once a week? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Never                25%    19%    27%    22%    26%    24%    19%    33%    27%
Less than once/week  36     31     38     36     36     36     42     32     32
Once a week          21     25     19     22     19     22     24     16     22
More than once/week  14     22     12     16     15     13     12     11     17
DON'T USE(VOL)        2      1      3      1      1      2      1      4      1
DK/NA                 3      3      2      3      3      3      2      4      1
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Never                38%    23%    23%    21%    18%    21%    13%    27%    38%
Less than once/week  24     35     39     41     42     35     39     37     32
Once a week          13     25     19     20     28     25     23     25     14
More than once/week  20     12     14     12      7     16     23      8      7
DON'T USE(VOL)        2      2      3      2      -      -      -      2      6
DK/NA                 2      2      3      3      4      4      2      2      2
3. Do you approve or disapprove of Amazon locating one of its new headquarters in Long Island City in Queens? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Approve              57%    60%    59%    57%    58%    56%    54%    63%    65%
Disapprove           26     24     24     29     28     25     27     21     24
DK/NA                17     17     18     15     14     19     20     16     10
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Approve              64%    54%    51%    60%    58%    56%    54%    59%    58%
Disapprove           21     29     29     26     16     28     35     22     22
DK/NA                15     17     20     14     26     16     10     19     20
4. As you may know, Amazon will be receiving roughly 3 billion dollars in tax breaks and other benefits from the state and the city as part of its deal to locate its new headquarters in Long Island City. Amazon says it will create 25,000 new jobs. Do you support or oppose the incentives that have been offered to Amazon? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Support              46%    47%    48%    45%    47%    45%    40%    52%    56%
Oppose               44     47     43     46     45     44     51     39     39
DK/NA                10      5      9     10      8     11      9     10      5
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Support              54%    40%    39%    55%    47%    49%    49%    44%    44%
Oppose               37     46     52     39     49     43     45     45     47
DK/NA                 9     13      9      7      4      8      6     11     10
5. As you may know, the Amazon deal will be reviewed by the state of New York, not by New York City. Do you think that New York City should be more involved in the process, or don't you think so? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Yes/More involved    79%    70%    81%    77%    77%    80%    72%    89%    85%
No                   13     23     11     16     16     11     19      5     12
DK/NA                 8      7      8      8      7      9      8      6      3
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Yes/More involved    78%    79%    79%    78%    80%    83%    80%    77%    76%
No                   13     15     14     10     18     11     13     16     15
DK/NA                 8      7      7     11      2      7      7      6      9
6. Do you have any concerns about Amazon's plan to build one of its new headquarters in Long Island City, or don't you have any concerns? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Yes/Have concerns    41%    27%    43%    42%    40%    42%    47%    38%    31%
No                   54     68     53     53     57     52     50     57     65
DK/NA                 5      5      4      4      4      6      3      4      3
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Yes/Have concerns    26%    42%    52%    41%    35%    46%    45%    43%    32%
No                   67     55     43     54     57     51     49     52     63
DK/NA                 7      3      5      6      8      3      6      5      5
6a. (If yes/have concerns q6) Which of the following is your biggest concern about Amazon's plan to build one of its headquarters in Long Island City: the impact on housing, the impact on transportation, or the impact on the quality of life? 
                     IF YES/HAVE CONCERNS Q6
                     Tot    Men    Wom
 
Housing              31%    30%    32%
Transportation       25     24     26 
Quality of life      20     20     20 
NONE OF THESE(VOL)    3      4      2 
ALL OF THESE(VOL)    19     21     18 
DK/NA                 1      1      2 
 
                     AGE IN YRS..............
                     18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Housing              38%    35%    24%    26%
Transportation       27     21     28     22
Quality of life      17     19     25     16
NONE OF THESE(VOL)    -      3      5      5
ALL OF THESE(VOL)    18     20     17     25
DK/NA                 -      2      -      6
7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way New York Governor Andrew Cuomo handled the Amazon deal? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Approve              34%    24%    37%    33%    36%    32%    29%    42%    40%
Disapprove           38     53     35     39     41     35     47     25     36
DK/NA                28     23     28     28     23     33     24     34     24
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Approve              38%    29%    37%    35%    28%    30%    33%    39%    34%
Disapprove           32     41     43     31     46     33     44     37     41
DK/NA                30     29     20     34     27     37     23     24     25
8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio handled the Amazon deal? 
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk    Hsp
 
Approve              31%    20%    36%    30%    33%    30%    24%    43%    39%
Disapprove           38     57     33     40     41     36     46     26     36
DK/NA                30     22     31     31     26     34     30     32     25
 
                     AREA.............................  AGE IN YRS..............
                     Brnx   Bklyn  Man    Qns    StIsl  18-34  35-49  50-64  65+
 
Approve              38%    27%    32%    34%    24%    30%    30%    37%    26%
Disapprove           33     41     42     32     50     33     44     38     43
DK/NA                29     32     26     34     26     37     26     24     31

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