February 18, 2010 - New Yorkers Big On Sugar Drink Tax, Calorie Counts, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Kelly Outscores Bloomberg As Voters Trust Crime Stats
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To balance the city budget New York City voters support 76 - 22 percent a tax on sugary soft drinks, as even Republicans back the measure 60 - 36 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
In a February 4 New York State survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe- ack) University, New York City voters opposed such a tax 50 - 47 percent in a question that referred to an "obesity tax" or "fat tax," but did not mention budget implications.
In the latest survey, support for the sugary drink tax as a budget measure is strong among black, white and Hispanic voters and in every borough.
New York City voters say 84 - 16 percent the law requiring fast-food restaurants to post calorie information is useful, again with strong support from all groups.
Voters also say 77 - 21 percent the Bloomberg administration is correct to encourage restaurants to use less salt. Women say hold the salt 81 - 18 percent, while men support the effort 72 - 25 percent.
Government involvement in such food issues is useful rather than meddling, voters say 79 - 19 percent. And the Bloomberg administration's involvement in these issues is "about right," 55 percent of voters say, as 20 percent say City Hall is going "too far" and 17 percent say "not far enough."
"There's been some grumbling about "nanny government" by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but voters are eating it up. Only a few think Mayor Mike is meddling. It's important, we agree overwhelmingly. And City Hall's menu of food initiatives gets three stars from the voters," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Making restaurants post calories? Combating salt in diets? We're with you, Mayor."
Move the 9/11 terrorist trials out of Lower Manhattan, New York City voters say 68 - 25 percent, with no group opposed to moving the trials.
The trials should be held somewhere in New York State, 42 percent of voters say, as 44 percent say get them out of New York State.
The 9/11 terrorism suspects should be tried as enemy combatants in military courts, 56 percent of New York City voters say, while 36 percent say they should be tried as criminals in civilian courts. Manhattan voters tip 48 - 46 percent in favor of criminal courts, but feeling in the other boroughs is strong in favor of military courts.
"The Bush administration approach to terrorist trials - military, not civilian - wins support in the city that would be the site of the civilian trials. Most New Yorkers, but just a split among Democrats, say alleged terrorists should be tried as enemy combatants, not criminals," Carroll said.
Police Approval
New York City voters approve 70 - 16 percent of the job Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is doing, matching his all-time 70 - 17 percent high in a March 9, 2006 Quinnipiac University poll. Approval ranges from 58 - 27 percent among black voters to 64 - 20 percent among Hispanic voters and 80 - 9 percent among white voters.
Voters approve 69 - 23 percent of the job New York City police are doing and approve 74 - 21 percent of the police in their community. Both of these scores are among the highest ever recorded.
For the police citywide, approval ranges from 54 - 36 percent among black voters to 67 - 25 percent among Hispanic voters to 82 - 12 percent among white voters.
By a 54 - 39 percent margin, New York City voters trust police department statistics showing crime is down. Black voters distrust police statistics 52 - 42 percent, while white voters trust them 65 - 28 percent and Hispanic voters trust them by a narrow 48 - 44 percent.
From February 11 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,195 New York City registered 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, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and nationwide 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.
Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Wht    Blk    Hisp
Approve              70%    83%    67%    71%    80%    58%    64%
Disapprove           16      5     18     17      9     27     20
DK/NA                14     12     15     11     10     15     17
Brnx   Kngs   Man    Qns    StIsl  Men    Wom
Disapprove           17     19     14     16     13     20     14
DK/NA                15     16     17     10      5     13     15
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner? (*High also 70% Mar 2006 & Feb 2006)
APPROVE.......  DIS..
High    Low     High
Feb 18  Jul 28  Jun 17  Feb 24  Feb 18   Jan 16  Jan 16
2010    2009    2009    2009    2010*   2007    2007
DK/NA                14      13      14      16      14      14      14
9. As you may know the Obama administration is considering moving the trials of suspected 9/11 terrorists out of Lower Manhattan. Do you think the trials of the suspected 9/11 terrorists should be moved out of Lower Manhattan or stay in Lower Manhattan?
Moved                68%    91%    63%    67%    74%    64%    67%
Stay                 25      8     28     26     19     25     26
DK/NA                 8      1      9      7      6     11      7
Stay                 35     27     24     16     17     26     24
DK/NA                10      9      7      7      5     10      6
10. If the trials of suspected 9/11 terrorists are moved out of Lower Manhattan, should the trials be held elsewhere in New York State or held outside of New York State?
In NY State          42%    19%    45%    45%    38%    48%    39%
Outside NY State     44     70     39     42     47     40     48
11. Do you think the suspected 9/11 terrorists should be tried as criminals in civilian court or as enemy combatants in military court?
Criminals            36%    11%    44%    32%    32%    37%    39%
Enemy combatants     56     86     48     60     62     55     53
DK/NA                 8      3      8      7      6      8      8
DK/NA                 8     10      6      8      2      7      9
17. To balance the city budget, would you support or oppose a tax on sugary soft drinks?
Support              76%    60%    78%    77%    73%    77%    76%
Oppose               22     36     19     22     26     20     20
DK/NA                 5      2      2      3      -      3      3
28. When it comes to trying to improve people's health habits, do you think the Bloomberg adminstration's policies have gone too far, not far enough, or they are about right?
Too far              20%    31%    17%    22%    24%    16%    22%
Not far enough       17     12     19     16     13     22     19
About right          55     46     57     57     58     54     49
DK/NA                 7     10      6      6      5      8     11
DK/NA                10      8      4      8      3      5      9
29. Do you think the New York City law requiring fast-food restaurants to post calorie information is useful or not useful?
Useful               84%    69%    88%    82%    81%    89%    83%
Not useful           16     30     12     18     18      9     16
DK/NA                 1      1      1      -      -      1      1
Not useful           15     15     15     15     22     18     14
DK/NA                 1      -      1      1      -      1      1
30. Do you think the Bloomberg administration is correct to encourage New York City restaurants to use less salt in food preparation or don't you think so?
Yes/Correct          77%    55%    80%    76%    69%    83%    82%
No/Not               21     44     18     22     28     15     17
31. Which comes closer to your point of view regarding the government getting involved with things like the salt content and calorie posting of restaurant food - it is important because it helps improve public health or it is just meddling?
Important            79%    50%    86%    75%    73%    89%    81%
Meddling             19     48     12     22     25      9     15
Meddling             13     19     18     20     31     20     17
DK/NA                10      8     10      5      2      6      9
APPROVE.......  DIS...
Feb 18  Jun 17  May 8   Mar 13  Feb 7   Apr 20  Apr 20
Feb 18  Jun 17  May 8   Mar 15  Feb 7   Apr 20  May 8
34. Do you trust police department statistics showing crime in New York City is going down or not?
Yes                  54%    65%    53%    56%    65%    42%    48%
No                   39     27     42     35     28     52     44