Question: In your opinion, do you think things in New Jersey are moving in the right direction or do you think the state has gotten off on the wrong track?

All

Rep.

Ind.

Dem.

Men

Women

Jan. ‘04

Sept ‘03

April ‘03

Right Direction

42%

31

38

54

40

43

42%

33%

39%

Wrong track

39%

54

35

27

45

34

46%

52%

41%

Don’t know/unsure

20%

16

27

20

15

24

13%

14%

20%

Question: How would you rate the job Jim McGreevey is doing as governor—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

All

Rep.

Ind.

Dem.

Jan. ‘04

Sept ‘03

April ‘03

Excellent (3%) or Good (27%)

31%

16

33

45

29%

29%

28%

Only Fair (42%) or Poor (23)

66%

81

59

52

68%

69%

65%

Don’t know/unsure

4%

3

7

4

3%

2%

7%

Question: Do you think that James McGreevey has done a good enough job as governor to deserve reelection or would you rather see a new person in that job?

All

Republicans

Independents

Democrats

Jan ‘03

Sept ‘03

April ‘03

Re-elect

29%

12

20

47

25%

27%

26%

New person

57%

78

52

38

58%

61%

56%

Don’t know/ref.

14%

10

28

15

16%

11%

17%

Question: How would you rate the job the state legislature in Trenton is doing is doing—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

All

Republicans

Independents

Democrats

Men

Women

Excellent or Good

24%

20

19

30

20

27

Only Fair or Poor

62%

69

62

56

69

57

Don’t know/ref.

14%

10

20

14

11

15

Question: Now I’d like to ask you a few questions about the New Jersey State budget. How much have you heard or read about the governor’s proposed state budget for the coming year?

Nothing at all

27%

Only a little

41%

Some

23%

A great deal

6%

Don’t know/ref.

2%

Question: In order to raise money a number of proposals have been discussed. For each of these proposals, can you tell me whether you think it’s a good idea or a bad idea?

[Rotate list]

All

Democrats

Independents

Republicans

Increasing the transfer tax on houses sold for over $150,000?

Good idea

17

20

14

16

Bad idea

72

67

75

77

Unsure/ref.

11

13

11

7

Borrowing one and a half billion dollars for next year’s budget and then paying it back over twenty years from a higher cigarette tax and new surcharges on unsafe driving?

Good idea

39

44

43

35

Bad idea

51

48

43

54

Unsure/ref.

10

9

14

10

A 90 cents per month fee on cell phones

Good idea

30

35

33

24

Bad idea

61

55

58

69

Unsure/ref.

9

9

9

8

A one percent tax on new houses selling for more than $1million?

Good idea

70

75

73

63

Bad idea

25

19

22

32

Unsure/ref.

5

5

5

5

A higher-tax rate for those who make more than 500,000 dollars a year?

Good idea

67

77

78

53

Bad idea

27

18

19

39

Unsure/ref.

6

5

4

8

Now in order to balance the budget, some people say…. Others say…. to balance the budget. Which position comes closest to your view?

[Rotate list]

All

Liberals

Moderates

Conservatives

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

… the state should hold the line on spending

81%

75

82

86

76

83

85

the state should just borrow the money…

9%

12

8

8

13

6

8

Neither (vol)

3%

5

4

2

3

3

3

Both (vol)

1%

2

2

1

2

1

1

Don’t know (vol)

5%

6

5

3

5

6

2

Ref.

1%

1

--

1

1

--

1

Now about taxes, some people say…. Others say…. Which position comes closest to your view?

[Rotate list]

All

Liberals

Moderates

Conservatives

the state should not raise taxes on anything because taxes are too high.

55

46

50

67

taxes on some things can be raised so long as we don’t raise the income or sales tax.

35

45

40

26

Neither (vol)

4

4

4

3

Don’t know (vol)

5

5

5

4

Ref.

1

--

--

1

Question: Who or what do you think is most responsible for the budget deficit…[rotate] ?

April 2004

Democrats

Independents

Republicans

April 2003

April 2002

Sept 11^th terrorist attacks

13%

13

17

13

13%

9

Poor economic performance

24%

23

22

24

24%

25

Governor McGreevey

16%

7

14

28

10%

3

Previous Governor Whitman

21%

30

20

12

28%

35

Cuts in federal aid to NJ

8%

10

7

7

8%

n/a

Other or none (vol)

6%

5

7

5

6%

17

Don’t know (vol)

11%

11

12

10

11%

11

Ref.

1%

1

--

1

1%

1

Question: Now, thinking about property taxes… Do you expect property taxes where you live to increase this year, decrease, or stay about the same?... a little or a lot?

[rotate]

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Increase a lot

34%

33

33

35

Increase a little

40%

37

42

43

Stay same

17%

20

16

15

Decrease a little

2%

2

3

1

Decrease a lot

2%

2

1

2

Don’t know (vol)

5%

5

5

5

Ref. (vol)

--

--

--

--

Question: Who do you think is most responsible for the level of property taxes in your town…?

[rotate]

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

The Governor

9%

8

7

10

The Legislature

9%

11

6

8

County government

13%

13

12

13

the local government

22%

25

19

19

the schools

37%

31

48

42

Don’t know (vol

10%

11

7

8

Ref.

--

--

--

--

Question: The governor has proposed increasing the amount of money the state gives to towns and schools. Do you think your town will use the money mostly… or…?

[rotate]

All

to increase services

46%

to hold down property taxes

35%

Don’t know (vol)

18%

Ref. (vol)

1%

Question: Taking everything into account, do you think the budget Gov. McGreevey has proposed is good for New Jersey or bad for New Jersey?

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Good

25%

38

17

15

Bad

35%

21

36

51

Unsure (vol)

38%

40

47

33

Ref. (vol)

2%

1

--

1