Tables
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 Acting Governor’s proposed state budget for the coming year? | |||
All | NJ headed in right direction | NJ off on wrong track | |
Nothing at all | 33% | 41 | 27 |
Only a little | 38% | 34 | 40 |
Some | 21% | 19 | 24 |
A great deal | 6% | 4 | 8 |
Don’t know/ref. | 2% | 1 | 2 |
Question: The budget proposal this year calls for not increasing overall spending. From what you’ve read or heard, do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? | ||||
All | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | |
Good | 76% | 73 | 78 | 78 |
Bad | 12% | 14 | 8 | 11 |
Unsure (vol) | 12% | 13 | 14 | 11 |
Question: The state budget proposes how to raise money as well as how much to spend. 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 | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | ||
Reduce property tax rebates for Senior Citizens from $1200 to $800. | ||||||
Good idea | 31% | 30 | 33 | 30 | ||
Bad idea | 66% | 68 | 60 | 67 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 3% | 2 | 7 | 3 | ||
Suspend property tax rebates for homeowners | ||||||
Good idea | 31% | 33 | 30 | 30 | ||
Bad idea | 64% | 63 | 66 | 66 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 5% | 4 | 4 | 5 | ||
Raise income taxes on homeowners who make over $200,000 a year by not allowing them to deduct their property taxes on their state income tax return. | ||||||
Good idea | 47% | 56 | 43 | 38 | ||
Bad idea | 48% | 40 | 46 | 59 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 5% | 4 | 11 | 3 | ||
Keep the sales tax the same but extend it to other things like some professional services. | ||||||
Good idea | 45% | 50 | 38 | 43 | ||
Bad idea | 49% | 46 | 51 | 52 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 6% | 5 | 10 | 5 | ||
Increase the inheritance tax on the wealthy. | ||||||
Good idea | 60% | 76 | 54 | 44 | ||
Bad idea | 34% | 20 | 35 | 50 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 6% | 4 | 10 | 6 | ||
Collect a new tax (of 2% on gross sales) from cable television companies. | ||||||
Good idea | 44% | 47 | 36 | 44 | ||
Bad idea | 52% | 49 | 58 | 52 | ||
Unsure/ref. | 4% | 4 | 6 | 4 | ||
Increase the transfer tax on houses sold for over $150,000? | One year ago:All | |||||
Good idea | 17% | 23% | 25 | 27 | 20 | |
Bad idea | 72% | 69% | 66 | 60 | 76 | |
Unsure/ref. | 11% | 8% | 9 | 13 | 4 |
Question: In order to close the budget deficit, a number of proposals to hold back spending have also been discussed. For each of these proposals, tell me whether you think it’s is good idea, a bad idea… | |||||
[Rotate list] | All | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | |
Don’t increase state aid to cities and municipalities | |||||
Good idea | 39% | 31 | 45 | 45 | |
Bad idea | 54% | 61 | 46 | 48 | |
Unsure/ref. | 8% | 8 | 10 | 6 | |
Don’t increase state aid to public education | |||||
Good idea | 20% | 13 | 26 | 25 | |
Bad idea | 76% | 83 | 69 | 71 | |
Unsure/ref. | 4% | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
Cut out special grants to cities and municipalities | |||||
Good idea | 38% | 31 | 47 | 44 | |
Bad idea | 46% | 56 | 36 | 40 | |
Unsure/ref. | 15% | 14 | 17 | 16 | |
Eliminate 500 state jobs. | |||||
Good idea | 46% | 36 | 46 | 56 | |
Bad idea | 44% | 54 | 39 | 37 | |
Unsure/ref. | 9% | 9 | 14 | 7 | |
Don’t increase retirement benefits for public employees | |||||
Good idea | 49% | 41 | 55 | 56 | |
Bad idea | 46% | 54 | 37 | 40 | |
Unsure/ref. | 5% | 5 | 8 | 4 | |
Suspend property tax rebates for homeowners | |||||
Good idea | 27% | 29 | 29 | 26 | |
Bad idea | 67% | 65 | 62 | 71 | |
Unsure/ref. | 6% | 6 | 8 | 4 | |
Don’t increase state aid to Colleges and Universities | |||||
Good idea | 30% | 22 | 32 | 39 | |
Bad idea | 65% | 73 | 63 | 57 | |
Unsure/ref. | 5% | 5 | 4 | 4 |
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 |
Dem |
Ind |
Rep |
NJ is headed in right direction |
NJ is off on the wrong track |
… the state should hold the line on spending even if programs are reduced |
63% |
51 |
62 |
76 |
56 |
68 |
the state should raise taxes if necessary and continue to support state programs |
26% |
37 |
22 |
16 |
32 |
21 |
Neither (vol) |
4% |
4 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
Both (vol) |
2% |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
Don’t know (vol) |
6% |
5 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Question: Now, thinking about spending in the state budget, who or what do you think is most responsible for driving up state spending over the years? | ||||
[ROTATE LIST] | All | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. |
Public education | 4% | 3 | 7 | 4 |
Roads and highways | 3% | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Local government | 5% | 6 | 3 | 5 |
Salaries and health care costs for public employees | 9% | 9 | 7 | 9 |
Fraud, waste, and abuse | 37% | 35 | 35 | 39 |
Politicians who just want to spend | 31% | 27 | 36 | 32 |
Just normal growth | 7% | 9 | 5 | 5 |
None of above (vol) | 1% | 2 | 2 | -- |
Don’t know (vol) | 4% | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Question: Now, thinking about taxes, who or what do you think is most responsible for driving up state taxes over the years? | ||||
[ROTATE LIST] | All | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. |
Public education | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Roads and highways | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Local government | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
Salaries and health care costs for public employees | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Fraud, waste, and abuse | 31 | 27 | 32 | 35 |
Politicians who just want to spend | 29 | 29 | 34 | 28 |
Just normal growth | 9 | 12 | 4 | 7 |
None of above (vol) | 1 | 2 | -- | 1 |
Don’t know (vol) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
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. | One Year Ago |
Increase a lot | 39 | 33 | 46 | 42 | 34% |
Increase a little | 39 | 41 | 32 | 39 | 40% |
Stay same | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17% |
Decrease a little | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2% |
Decrease a lot | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2% |
Don’t know (vol) | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5% |
Question: The state rebates money to some homeowners in order to even out the property tax burden. Now some people say that if the state rebates less money this year…. Others say if the state rebates less money this year…. Which comes closer to your view? | ||||
[rotate] | All | Conservatives | Moderates | Liberal |
that’s the same as raising taxes. | 49% | 55 | 44 | 44 |
that’s because the state is cutting its spending | 41% | 37 | 44 | 45 |
Don’t know (vol) | 10% | 7 | 11 | 10 |
Ref. (vol) | 1% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Question: Taking everything into account, do you think the budget Gov. Codey has proposed is good for New Jersey or bad for New Jersey? | |||||
All | Dem. | Ind. | Rep. | One Year Ago | |
Good | 33% | 36 | 35 | 31 | 25% |
Bad | 25% | 20 | 24 | 32 | 35% |
Unsure (vol) | 42% | 44 | 40 | 38 | 38% |
Ref. (vol) | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 2% |
Contacts:
Rick Thigpen, academic associate, 609-394-0888.
Steve Salmore, research professor of political science: 973-292-3633.
Peter Woolley, coordinator: 973-443-8725
Radio actuality line: (201) 692-2846.
For more information, please call (201) 692-7032.
see also:
Survey
Analysis
Salmore's Analysis
Thigpen's Analysis
Survey Details