I1J1t:iEI?.s Eagleten Institute of Politics New Brunswick New Jersey Site %tat-lcbguf/eagleton POLL

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1 users to properly attribute this copyrighted information to the Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll. RELEASE INFORMATION appear m Sunday s Star-Ledger. Other newspapers may also use this information in their A story based on the survey findings presented in this release and background memo will FOR REIIASt SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 1990 CONTACT: BOB CARTER OR RE).EASE: SL/EP 28-3 (EP 78-3) JANICE BALLOU Sunday editions. Electronic media may release after 5:00 p.m. Saturday, April 14. We ask I1J1t:iEI?.s Eagleten Institute of Politics New Brunswick New Jersey fle IATE UNPS$fl cc NE EPV (Rutgers Feature Phone). ATTENTION RADIO STATIONS: Audio is available after 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, 1990 from (201) -more- compared to fully 7-in-lO who feel they pay too much for what they get. Two-thirds of Jerseyans think they get their money s worth for the state and local taxes they pay, to feel that state and local taxes are too high. In addition, only about 1-in-4 New between March 22 and 26, also finds a majority of about 6-in-lO residents who continue The survey, which was conducted by telephone with 800 adult New Jerseyans local government should be spending more. and public education, solid majorities of New Jerseyans still say they think state and however, such as the environment, the drug problem, aid to the poor and elderly, AIDS, government spending across a broad range of programs and problems. In many areas, are also more cautious than they were one year ago about calling for increased As a result of these changing perceptions of the state s economy, New Jerseyans of residents thought the state was enjoying good times economically. Ledger/Eagleton Poll. Just six months ago, an earlier survey found that a clear majority New Jersey as experiencing bad times economically, according to the latest Star dramatically in recent months, with a majority of residents --55 percent-- now describing Public perceptions of the state of New Jersey s economy have reversed NEW JERSEYANS CONCERNED ABOUT STATE S ECONOMY; THE ECONOMY, TAXES AND SPENDING - PART 2: MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING Site %tat-lcbguf/eagleton POLL

2 EP78-3 (SL/EP28-3) Page 2 the public believes that residents of the Garden State pay more in state and local taxes 9. I than do residents of other states. When asked to describe economic conditions in the state, fifty-five percent of residents say New Jersey is in bad times right now, compared to 36 percent who feel the state is presently experiencing good times economically. A Star-Ledger/Eagle ton survey just last September found only 31 percent statewide who thought New Jersey was in bad economic times, while 57 percent thought times were good. Bob Carter, Associate Director for the Poll, noted that This shift in public perceptions of the state s economic condition is probably a reaction primarily to the serious budget problems the state is experiencing, including Governor Florio s call for cuts in spending and increased taxes, all of which have received a lot of coverage in the news over the last few months. Therefore, it could just be a short term phenomenon, and doesn t necessarily represent an irreversible trend towards a pessimistic long term outlook on the public s part. Most Garden State residents continue to feel overtaxed, with 33 percent statewide saying the state and local taxes they pay are much too high, while another 28 percent think they are somewhat too high. Thirty-six percent of New Jerseyans say their taxes are about right. Also, an overwhelming majority of 7-in-lO residents say they pay too much in taxes for what they get, compared to only 27 percent who think they get their money s worth for their state and local taxes. Two-thirds of the public (66%) think New Jersey residents pay more in taxes than do residents of other states, six percent think less, and another 20 percent believe taxes are about the same in New Jersey as in other states. The survey also asked residents whether state and local government in New Jersey should be spending more or less in fourteen different areas, and in virtually all -more-

3 EP78-3 (SL/EP28-3) Page 3 cases the public is somewhat less likely than they were one year ago to say more money should be spent. New Jerseyans, however, have very clear priorities for where they think tax dollars should be spent, and for a number of programs and problems clear majorities of residents still say government here in New Jersey should be spending more. For example, Seventy-four percent want more spent on toxic waste cleanup, down from 82 percent in Seventy-three percent think more needs to be spent on the drug problem. Sixty-five percent want more spent for research and education about AIDS. Sixty-three percent support more spending on environmental programs, down from 72 percent last year. Sixty-two percent support more spending on programs for the poor, and 63 percent favor increases in funding for programs for the elderly, down from 68 and 67 percent respectively compared to last year. Fifty-eight percent say more needs to be spent on public grade schools and high schools, down slightly from 62 percent in March of last year. Carter commented, While the public may feel overburdened by taxes, and that government spending can and ought to be reduced or reined in, people still expect a lot from govermuent in terms of programs and services. And, in a number of particular areas, the public feels that the problems are simply too important to seriously cut government spending. In a number of other program areas the public is much more evenly divided about whether funding should be increased or kept at current levels. Specifically, Forty-six percent say more should be spent for police, while an equal number would keep spending the same. One year ago, the public supported more versus the same spending by a 51 to 42 percent margin. Forty-six percent favor more spending on public colleges and universities, while 42 percent say keep spending the same. This compares with a 49 to 38 percent margin in favor of more spending last year. -more-

4 EP784 (SL/EP284) Page 4 Increased funding for streets and highways is supported by 43 percent statewide, while 46 percent would keep spending at current levels. One C; year ago, the margin was 48 to 43 in favor of spending more rather than the same. Four-in-ten favor increased direct aid to cities and towns, while about the same number (43%) would keep spending for this at current levels. Thirty-five percent support more spending for public transportation, while nearly one-half (48%) would keep spending the same as now. Cultural programs and the arts, for which Governor Florio has proposed large cuts in state spending, also have declined as a public priority among New Jerseyans, with 23 percent statewide favoring increased spending, down from 35 percent last year. Twenty-eight percent would increase spending to promote tourism in the state, while about an equal number (24%) think less should be spent for this. Fifty-five percent of New Jerseyans say their family s financial situation has stayed about the same over the last year, while 18 percent say things have gotten better for them, and 26 percent say they are worse off financially. Looking ahead, 31 percent of C the public expects they will be better off financially one year from now, 19 percent think they will be worse off, and 44 percent believe things will be about the same for them next year Copyright, April 15, 1990, The Eagieton Institute and Newark Star-Ledger. C

5 Jibe 4ar-ICbWr/EAGLETON POLL BACKGROUND MEMO-RELEASE SL/EP28-3 (EP78-3). SUNDAY. APRIL The latest Srar-Led2er/Eagleton Poll was conducted between March 22 and 26, 1990, when a random sample of 800 New Jerseyans, 18 years and older, was interviewed by telephone. The sampling error associated with this size sample is ±3.5 percent at a 95 percent confidence interval. Sampling error does not take into account the other possible sources of error inherent in any public opinion study. The questions and figures referred to in this release are presented below. The location of each question on the actual questionnaire is indicated in brackets. How would you generally describe economic conditions in New Jersey now? New Jersey is in good times or bad times right now? [Q. 13] Would you say that economically Good Bad Don t Times Times Neither Know Liii March, % 55% 8% 99% (800) September, (1,000) October, % 6 99 (800) Thinking now about your family s financial situation over the last year, have things gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same? [Q. 14j Do&t Better Worse Know IQ1i March, % 26% 55% 1% 100% (800) September, (1,000) October, (800) October, (1,097) And looking ahead, do you think that a year from now you and your family will be better off financially, worse off, or about the same as now? [Q. 151 Don t Better Worse Know Iti Marcb, % 19% 44% 6% 100% (800) September, (1,000) October, (800) LnI Do you think the state and local taxes you pay are too high, too low, or about right? (IF TOO HIGH : you say much too high, or only somewhat too high?) [0. 21] Would Much Somewhat About Too Don t Too High Too HiQh EighL Know IQ1 March, % 28% 36% 1% 1% 99% (800) March, (800) February, (800) February, (800) February, (X) (1,002) IZ.LJTt:ER.S 9*E STATE UNrP9N Of NEW?TV Eagleton Institute of Politics New Brunswick New Jersey

6 EP78-3 (SL/EP2S-3) Do you think you get your money s worth for the state and local taxes you pay, or do you think you pay too much for what you get? (0. 22] Get Money s Pay Too Worth Much Np Ovinion March, % 70% 3% 100% (800) March, (800) February, (800) February, (600) October-November, (500) June, (1,005) May, (1,005) Comparing New Jersey to other states in the nation, do you think New Jersey residents pay more, less, or about the same in overall state and local taxes? [0. 23] rn Don t Know IQIal March, % 6% 20% 9% 101% (800) November, (500) As you know, most of the money government spends comes from the taxes you and others pay. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think state and local government here in New Jersey should be spending more, less, or about the same as now. [0. 24] Mrn Don t Know Total jjj) ( To,dc Waste Cleanup 74% 19% 5% 2% 100% (800) --March, (800) --February, (600) Drug Problem --March, (800) Research & Education about Aids March, (799) Environmental ProQrams March, (800) --March, (800) --February, (600) (1,003) Pro2rams for Poor March, (800) --March, (800) --February, (600) (1,003) (Continued on nat page.) (

7 More i Know I2Li &I more, less, or about the same as now. [Q. 241 following, please tell me whether you think state and local government here in New Jersey should be spending you know, most of the money government spends comes from the taxes you and others pay. For each of the Don t Cultural Programs and the Arts (799) (800) Prompting Toui-isin in New Jersey (799) (600) (1,002) (800) (600) --Febnaary, (1,003) --March, S (800) --March, (798) Public Transoortatign Direct State Aid to Cities & Towns (800) (800) Streets & Highways (1,003) (599) (800) (800) (600) 3 99 (800) (799) (1,003) Public Colleges & Universities Police Forces (1,003) (800) (600) (799) (1,003) (600) (800) (800) Public Grade & High Schools Prpcrams for Elderh (600) (800) (800) 2 99 (1,003) EP78-3 (SL/EP28-3) -3-

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