NEW YORKERS OPPOSE FAT-TAX 2-1, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; BUT SPLIT ON TAX IF MONEY IS PROMISED FOR HEALTH CARE

Transcription

1 Maurice Carroll, Director Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Rubenstein Associates, Inc., Public Relations Pat Smith (212) FOR RELEASE: APRIL 14, 2010 NEW YORKERS OPPOSE FAT-TAX 2-1, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; BUT SPLIT ON TAX IF MONEY IS PROMISED FOR HEALTH CARE New York State voters oppose percent an obesity tax or a fat tax on non-diet sugary soft drinks, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. But voters split percent when asked if they support or oppose a tax on sugary soft drinks if the money was used to fund health care, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uhpe-ack) University poll finds. Opposition to the fat tax is strong across the political spectrum and among men and women. But there is a big racial split, with white voters opposed to the tax percent and black voters opposed percent. When health care is added to the tax question, Democrats shift to percent in favor, while opposition from Republican and independent voters is reduced. Opposition from white voters drops to percent as black support increases to percent. Parents of children under 18 shift from percent opposition to the fat tax to percent opposition to the health care tax. Obesity among children and teens is a very serious or somewhat serious problem in New York, 89 percent of voters say. But 54 percent of voters say government action to fight childhood obesity is meddling, while 41 percent say government should act. New Yorkers to Albany: Can the soda tax, said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. We might crack the can if the money goes for health care. Sure, childhood obesity is a serious problem, New Yorkers agree. But most think a state campaign against it is government meddling. -more-

2 Quinnipiac University Poll/April 14, 2010 page 2 While 89 percent of New York State voters say childhood obesity is a very serious or somewhat serious problem, only 4 percent of parents say they have a child who is seriously overweight. And only 11 percent of all voters consider themselves seriously overweight. New York State voters say percent that the state should ban the sale of soda in public schools. Parents support the soda ban percent. By a larger percent margin, voters say the state should ban the sale of junk food in public schools. Parents support this ban percent. Voters say almost 2-1 that junk food shouldn't be sold in schools. By a lesser margin, they'd also keep soda out of schools, Carroll said. Voter Dissatisfaction A total of 78 percent of voters are very dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with the way things are going in New York State today, the highest dissatisfaction rate ever measured by a Quinnipiac University New York State survey. Voters disapprove percent of the job the State Legislature is doing, compared to the all-time highest disapproval of percent December 16. To clean house, almost everyone in the State Assembly, including their own Assembly member, should be voted out of office this November, voters say percent. Democrats want to keep their Assembly member by a narrow percent margin. Support for cleaning house is percent among Republicans and percent among independent voters. Voters also want percent to clean house in the State Senate, including voting out their own State Senator. This is the strongest anti-incumbent sentiment ever measure in New York. Democrats want to stick with their Senator percent. Anti-incumbent feeling is percent among Republicans and percent among independent voters. New Yorkers are more dissatisfied than ever and more and more of them are calling for the broom to clean house in Albany, Carroll said. From April 6 11, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,381 New York State registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 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 call (203) , or follow us on Twitter. 2

3 20. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? Approve 21% 11% 31% 16% 18% 24% 14% 38% Disapprove DK/NA Approve 27% 17% 19% 27% 16% Disapprove DK/NA TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? (*High Dis also 72% Aug 2009) APPROVE... DIS... High Low High Apr 14 Feb 3 Dec 16 Oct 21 Apr 4 Feb 3 Dec * Approve Disapprove DK/NA Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheldon Silver is handling his job as State Assembly Speaker? Approve 25% 17% 35% 20% 24% 27% 21% 44% Disapprove DK/NA Approve 20% 20% 20% 34% 21% Disapprove DK/NA TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheldon Silver is handling his job as State Assembly Speaker? APPROVE... High Low Apr 14 Apr 6 Feb 17 Jan 15 Dec 24 Dec 24 Apr Approve Disapprove DK/NA

4 23. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? Very satisfied 2% 1% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% - Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA Very satisfied - 1% 1% 3% - Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New York State today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Apr 14 Feb 3 Dec 16 Oct 21 Aug 18 Feb 25 Apr Very satisfied Smwht satisfied Smwht dissatisfied Very dissatisfied DK/NA Which comes closer to your view about your State Senator - there are a lot of problems in Albany but your State Senator has done a good job and deserves to be reelected or almost everyone in the State Senate should be thrown out including your State Senator? Deserves reelection 39% 30% 51% 32% 32% 45% 36% 52% Shld be thrown out DK/NA Deserves reelection 49% 34% 36% 44% 35% Shld be thrown out DK/NA TREND: Which comes closer to your view about your State Senator - there are a lot of problems in Albany but your State Senator has done a good job and deserves to be reelected or almost everyone in the State Senate should be thrown out including your State Senator? Apr 14 Dec 16 Aug Deserves reelection Shld be thrown out DK/NA

5 27. Which comes closer to your view about your State Assembly member - there are a lot of problems in Albany but your State Assembly member has done a good job and deserves to be reelected or almost everyone in the State Assembly should be thrown out including your State Assembly member? Deserves reelection 35% 28% 45% 31% 30% 39% 32% 50% Shld be thrown out DK/NA Deserves reelection 44% 35% 36% 40% 25% Shld be thrown out DK/NA There is a proposal for an "obesity tax" or a "fat tax" on non-diet sugary soft drinks. Do you support or oppose such a measure? Support 31% 13% 41% 35% 29% 33% 26% 43% Oppose DK/NA Support 25% 26% 26% 41% 25% Oppose DK/NA Support 32% 28% 32% Oppose DK/NA TREND: There is a proposal for an "obesity tax" or a "fat tax" on non-diet sugary soft drinks. Do you support or oppose such a measure? Apr 14 Feb 4 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec Support Oppose DK/NA

6 29. Would you support or oppose a tax on sugary soft drinks if the money was used to fund health care? Support 48% 26% 64% 47% 43% 53% 41% 73% Oppose DK/NA Support 51% 39% 41% 59% 44% Oppose DK/NA Support 46% 44% 51% Oppose DK/NA Do you think New York State should ban the sale of soda in public schools or not? Yes 59% 51% 65% 58% 51% 66% 57% 65% No DK/NA Yes 55% 55% 55% 62% 61% No DK/NA Yes 66% 69% 65% No DK/NA Do you think New York State should ban the sale of junk food in public schools or not? Yes 65% 57% 70% 64% 60% 69% 63% 65% No DK/NA Cont d 6

7 31. (cont d) Do you think New York State should ban the sale of junk food in public schools or not? Yes 66% 61% 62% 68% 64% No DK/NA Yes 64% 65% 71% No DK/NA Thinking about the problem of obesity, that is people being seriously overweight, how serious is the problem of obesity among children and teens in New York State today? Very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious or not at all serious? Very serious 48% 38% 57% 47% 43% 53% 42% 68% Smwht serious Not too serious Not at all serious DK/NA Very serious 57% 43% 45% 54% 44% Smwht serious Not too serious Not at all serious DK/NA Very serious 46% 44% 59% Smwht serious Not too serious Not at all serious DK/NA Some people say that the government should take action to fight childhood obesity. Others say that this is government meddling. Which comes closer to your point of view? Gov shld take action 41% 25% 56% 36% 43% 39% 34% 60% Gov is meddling DK/NA Cont d 7

8 33. (cont d) Some people say that the government should take action to fight childhood obesity. Others say that this is government meddling. Which comes closer to your point of view? Gov shld take action 42% 33% 34% 51% 36% Gov is meddling DK/NA Gov shld take action 42% 41% 51% Gov is meddling DK/NA Would you consider yourself seriously overweight? Yes 11% 10% 13% 11% 10% 12% 11% 8% No DK/NA Yes 11% 12% 12% 10% 11% No DK/NA Yes 10% 8% No DK/NA Do you have any children under the age of 18? Yes 32% 33% 33% 28% 31% 32% 29% 36% No DK/NA Yes 17% 33% 31% 32% 33% No DK/NA

9 36. (If have kids q35) Would you consider any of your children to be seriously overweight? HAVE KIDS Q35... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 4% 5% 6% 1% 3% 5% No DK/NA Yes 4% 5% No DK/NA Which would you say that you drink more often - diet soft drinks or regular, non-diet soft drinks? Diet 29% 34% 29% 30% 31% 28% 35% 21% Regular DK/NA Diet 33% 29% 30% 27% 32% Regular DK/NA Diet 25% 25% 43% Regular DK/NA TREND: Which would you say that you drink more often - diet soft drinks or regular, nondiet soft drinks? Apr 14 Feb 4 Feb 18 Jan 15 Dec Diet Regular DK/NA