2/15: Bloomberg Approval Rating Steady

Half of registered voters in New York City — 50% — approve of the job Mayor Bloomberg is doing in office.  Included here are 13% who believe Mayor Mike is doing an excellent job and 37% who say he is doing a good one.  32% give Bloomberg fair grades while 16% rate his performance as poor.  Two percent are unsure.

Click Here for Complete February 15, 2013 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables

There has been no change in Bloomberg’s approval rating since December when 50% applauded the mayor’s performance and bestowed upon him his highest approval rating since 2010.  33% reported Bloomberg was doing an average job while 16% said he fell short.  One percent was unsure.  Prior to Hurricane Sandy, Bloomberg’s approval rating stood at 45% in mid-October.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating Over Time

Bloomberg Legacy Solid

When asked how they will remember Mayor Bloomberg after he leaves office, 44% say his legacy will be a positive one.  This includes 11% who say he will be one of the city’s best mayors and 33% who report he will be thought of as an above average mayor.  37% think he will be considered about average while 12% report he will be remembered as a below average mayor.  Eight percent believe Mayor Bloomberg will be thought of as one of the worst mayors in New York City’s history.

Voters’ attitudes have changed little on this question over the past few months.  In December, 43% believed the mayor would be remembered fondly while 38% thought his legacy would be an adequate one.  11% reported the mayor would be recalled as a subpar leader while 8% went a step farther and said he would be thought of as one of New York City’s worst mayors.

Table: Bloomberg’s Legacy

Table: Bloomberg’s Legacy Over Time

Majority Views Direction of the City Positively

A majority of registered voters — 55% — believe New York City is moving in the right direction.  36%, though, say it is traveling in the wrong one.  Eight percent are unsure.  When NY1-Marist reported this question in December, following Hurricane Sandy, 61% were optimistic about the trajectory of the Big Apple.  31% thought its course needed to be corrected, and 7% were unsure.  Before the storm in mid-October, 51% thought New York City was moving on the proper path.

Table: New York City Direction

Table: New York City Direction Over Time

Education and Jobs Top List of Next Mayor’s Priorities

When it comes to the next mayor’s agenda, 26% of registered voters think education should be his or her main priority.  The same proportion — 26% — says jobs should top the list.  17% want economic development to be the next mayor’s focus while housing follows with 7%.  Six percent think the priority should be crime while taxes and poverty each receives 5%.  Four percent believe security from terrorism should be the next mayor’s primary issue while 2% of voters say transportation must be at the top of his or her agenda.  One percent place race relations at the top of the list while an additional 1% thinks another issue is the most important.

When Marist last reported this question in September of 2009, jobs — 25% — and education — 20% — were also top of mind for voters.  17% of registered voters, at that time, believed that economic development should be the mayor’s top priority.  Housing was considered to be the most important by 9%.  Security from terrorism placed highest for 6% while taxes was the key issue for another 6% of voters. 17%, then, said another issue should be the mayor’s main concern.

Table: Priority for the Next Mayor

Voters with Little Interest in Mayor’s Race

Just 30% of registered voters are following the mayor’s race.  This includes 6% who are following it very closely and 24% who are watching it closely.  44% are not monitoring the contest very closely, and 26% are not following it at all.

Table: How Closely Voters are Following Mayor’s Race?

 

How the Survey was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

12/3: NYC Not Prepared for Sandy, Says Majority, But Most Public Officials and Agencies Weather Storm

Five weeks after Hurricane Sandy pummeled the East Coast, nearly six in ten New York City residents — 58% — think the city was not properly prepared to battle the monster storm.  38% believe New York City’s preparation to respond to the storm was adequate, and 4% are unsure.

Click Here for Complete December 3, 2012 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables

“For the most part New Yorkers say the city was not ready to handle the superstorm,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.  “Despite this view, most are positive about the official response.”

Not surprisingly, residents who were most affected by the storm are more likely to say New York City was ill-prepared to deal with such a cataclysmic event.  77% of these residents have this view.  This compares with 60% who were directly affected, and 56% who were not directly affected by it.

 By borough:

• In Staten Island, 61% of residents think the city’s preparation missed the mark while 36% say it was on target.  Two percent are unsure.
• In Queens, 60% have a negative view of how the city prepared while 38% have a positive one.  Two percent are unsure.
• 58% of Brooklyn residents believe the city was not prepared to deal with Sandy while 36% think it was.  Six percent are unsure.
• Among residents in Manhattan, 58% say the city’s preparation fell short while 41% thought it was a result of proper planning.  Two percent are unsure.
• In the Bronx, 55% of residents report New York City was not ready to deal with the storm.  41% believe it was, and 4% are unsure.

What do residents think of how public officials and agencies handled the storm?

• Seven in ten residents in New York City — 70% — approve of how Mayor Michael Bloomberg dealt with Sandy while 25% disapprove.  Five percent are unsure.  Among those who were most affected, 53% approve of Bloomberg’s actions.
• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo fares even better.  Among New York City residents, 82% believe Cuomo took the right steps to handle the hurricane.   10% disapprove of his approach, and 8% are unsure.  Even 78% of those most affected by the storm give the governor high marks.
• 81% of New York City residents praise New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for how he dealt with Hurricane Sandy.  Seven percent disapprove, and 13% are unsure.  Among those who were most affected by Sandy, 72% think well of how Christie dealt with the storm.
• President Barack Obama — 85% –fares the best in the eyes of New York City residents.  13%, though, disapprove of his actions.  Two percent are unsure.  More than three in four New York City residents most affected — 76% — applaud the president’s response to Hurricane Sandy.
• About two-thirds of city dwellers — 65% — think well of how Con Edison managed the situation.  28% thought the power company fell short, and 7% are unsure.  Among those who were most affected, 55% are positive about Con Ed’s performance.
• It’s a far different story for LIPA.  Only 20% of New York City residents say the utility company’s response was on target.  A majority — 54% — disapproves, and 26% are unsure.  Just 19% of those who were most affected by the storm think LIPA did a good job dealing with it.
• 76% of residents in the city give the MTA a thumbs-up. 18% disapprove of how it dealt with the storm, and 6% are unsure.  A similar 73% of adults most affected by the storm think well of the MTA’s actions to handle Hurricane Sandy.
• Almost seven in ten in the city — 69% — think well of how the New York City Department of Education managed the situation.  20% disapprove, and 11% are unsure.  Even 65% of those most affected approve of how the agency dealt with the situation.
• Looking at the New York City Housing Authority, there is a divide.  39% of residents approve of how the agency handled Sandy while 35% disapprove.  A notable 25% are unsure.  Only 36% of those who were most affected by the storm approve of how the NYCHA handled Hurricane Sandy.
• Nearly two-thirds of city dwellers — 64% — have a favorable view of FEMA’s response to the storm.  24% believe the agency missed the mark, and 13% are unsure.  Among those most affected, 59% approve of how FEMA dealt with the storm.

Table: New York’s Preparedness to Deal with Hurricane Sandy

Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: President Barack Obama’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: Con Edison’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: LIPA’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: MTA’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: New York City Department of Education’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: New York City Housing Authority’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Table: FEMA’s Handling of Hurricane Sandy

Most Think Sandy United the Big Apple, But…

87% of residents in New York City believe Hurricane Sandy mostly united people in New York City.  Eight percent say it mostly divided them, and 4% are unsure.

However, when it comes to the allocation of aid post-Sandy, there is a split.  46% of adults citywide believe some neighborhoods affected by the storm were treated better by the city than others.  44%, however, think help was provided fairly.  10% are unsure.

Those who were most affected by the hurricane — 64% — are more likely to report an unbalanced distribution of assistance following the storm compared with those who were directly affected by Sandy — 49% — and those who were not directly affected by the storm — 43%.

By borough:

• A slim majority of residents in Manhattan — 51% — believe some neighborhoods were treated better than others.  This compares with 38% who say help was provided fairly.
• In the Bronx, 49% of residents believe resources were not distributed well while 44% think they were not.
•  48% of adults in Brooklyn say some neighborhoods affected by the storm were treated better than others.  40%, though, think help was provided fairly.
• In Queens, more than four in ten residents — 41% — report assistance was not fairly distributed while 48% believe it was.
• Among those in Staten Island, 38% say the city treated some neighborhoods better than others, but 54% believe aid was given out fairly.

Table: Whether Hurricane Sandy Mostly United or Divided New York City

Table: Allocation of Assistance Following Hurricane Sandy

Nearly One in Five Say City Will Never be the Same

While most residents believe New York City has either returned to normal or will eventually do so, a notable proportion believes the Big Apple will never be what it was before Hurricane Sandy.  16% say the city has already recovered while 65% think it will eventually return to what it was.  19%, however, think it will never be the same.

Residents who were the most affected by Sandy are the most pessimistic.  30% of these residents think the city is forever changed in the wake of the storm.  Still, 64% of these residents believe the city will eventually return to normal.

Table: Whether or Not New York City will Return to Normal Following Hurricane Sandy

Optimism in NYC Reaches Highest Level in Six Years

While Hurricane Sandy may have left a path of destruction behind, that has not broken the spirits of more than six in ten registered voters in New York City.  61% believe New York City is moving in the right direction while 31% say it is traveling in the wrong one.  Seven percent are unsure.  The proportion of voters who think the city is moving in the right direction is the largest since March of 2006.  At that time, 64% of voters said the Big Apple was on track.

When NY1-Marist last reported this question in its October survey, 51% of registered voters citywide thought the Big Apple was on the right path while 38% said it was on the wrong one.  10%, then, were unsure.

Regardless of party or borough, more voters believe the city is moving in the right direction.

Table: New York City Direction

Table: New York City Direction Over Time

Bloomberg Approval Rating Highest Since 2010

50% of registered voters in New York City believe Mayor Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  This includes 15% who think he is doing an excellent one and 35% who say he is doing a good one.  33% rate Bloomberg’s performance as fair while 16% say it is poor.  One percent is unsure.  This is the highest job approval rating Bloomberg has received since October of 2010.  At that time, the same proportion — 50% — gave the mayor high marks.

In NY1-Marist’s October 2012 survey, 45% of registered voters had a favorable view of Bloomberg’s performance as mayor.  32% thought the job he was doing was average while 20% said it was subpar.  Three percent, at that time, were unsure.

By borough:

• The mayor does best among Manhattan voters.  Here, 67% applaud Bloomberg’s performance, up 22 percentage points from October.
• 46% of Brooklyn voters also think well of how Bloomberg is doing his job.  In October, 38% held this view.
• Among Bronx voters, 43% approve of how Mayor Bloomberg is doing his job, compared with 50% two months ago.
• In Queens, 46% of registered voters give the mayor’s performance a thumbs-up.
• Looking at Staten Island, 41% give Bloomberg’s performance high marks.

Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg Approval Rating

Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg Approval Rating Over Time

Bloomberg and Giuliani Vie for Title of NYC Mayor Who Would Best Handle Hurricane…Bloomberg Legacy Intact

Although Mayor Bloomberg tops the list of mayors who could best handle a weather crisis, Rudy Giuliani follows close behind in the opinion of New Yorkers.  39% of adults in the city have this view of Bloomberg, 37% believe Rudy Giuliani would have best tackled the situation.  Ed Koch is thought by 9% to have best dealt with the storm compared with just 4% who have this impression of David Dinkins.  10% are unsure.

When it comes to Bloomberg’s overall legacy, a plurality of voters — 43% — expect him to be remembered positively after he leaves office.  Included here are 10% who say he will be thought of as one of the city’s best mayors and 33% who report he will be considered an above average mayor.  38% think Bloomberg will be thought of as about average while 11% report his legacy will be a below average one.  Eight percent go so far as to say he will be remembered as one of New York City’s worst mayors.

There has been little change on this question since October when 43% of registered voters in the city believed Bloomberg would leave behind a positive legacy.  34% said he would be thought of as an average mayor while 12% thought he would be remembered as a below average one.  Eight percent, at that time, believed he would be considered one of New York City’s worst mayors.

Table: NYC Mayor Who Would Have Best Handled Hurricane Sandy

Table: Bloomberg’s Legacy

Table: Bloomberg’s Legacy Over Time

How the Survey Was Conducted

Nature of the Sample

1/6: NY1-Marist Poll: Blizzard of Poor Public Opinion: Bloomberg Approval Rating at All-Time Low

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a lot of heat over how the city handled the December 26th blizzard, and his approval rating reflects the firestorm of controversy.  In fact, Bloomberg’s approval rating is at its lowest point — 37% — since taking office.  Included here are 11% who say he is doing an excellent job in office and 26% who report he is doing a good one.  34% rate his performance as fair while 26% believe he is doing a poor job.  Only 3% are unsure.

Click Here for Complete January 6, 2011 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables

When Marist last asked this question in its October survey, half of registered voters — 50% — gave Bloomberg high marks.  At that time, 14% said he was doing an excellent job, and 36% reported he was doing a good one.  30% thought his performance was fair, and 15% believed the mayor was doing a poor job.  Five percent were unsure.

Looking at the boroughs, a majority of voters in Manhattan — 55% — approve of Mayor Bloomberg’s job performance while fewer voters in the other boroughs share this view.  39% in the Bronx, 36% in Queens and Staten Island, and 24% in Brooklyn give the mayor high marks.  In Marist’s previous survey, 58% of those in Manhattan, 48% of voters in the Bronx, 48% in Queens and Staten Island, and 46% in Brooklyn thought Bloomberg was doing well in office.

“Mayor Bloomberg clearly will need a big shovel if he wants to dig himself out of this political storm, and it looks like the next opportunity is heading his way,” says Dr.  Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

Key Findings:

• When it comes to how Bloomberg handled the snow removal from the recent storm, 21% of adults in New York City approve while more than seven in ten — 71% — disapprove.  Just 7% are unsure.  Regardless of borough, residents are displeased with Bloomberg’s handling of the situation.  Residents in Brooklyn (78%) and in Queens and Staten Island (71%) are most dissatisfied.  69% in the Bronx and 63% in Manhattan are also unhappy with the mayor’s performance during and after the blizzard.

• The New York City Department of Sanitation does not fare better.  21% of city residents approve of how the DSNY handled the snow removal while 72% disapprove.  Seven percent are unsure.  Again, disapproval spans borough boundaries.  More adults residing in Brooklyn (77%) and in Queens and Staten Island (72%) feel this way compared with those in the Bronx (69%) and Manhattan (68%).

• Nearly four in ten residents — 37% — think Bloomberg learned a lot from the recent snowstorm.  26% believe he learned a little, and 28% say he took away nothing at all from the experience.  Nine percent are unsure.

• The storm has had a slight impact on Bloomberg’s legacy.  Almost four in ten voters — 39% — think he will leave behind a positive legacy.  Included here are 12% of voters who report the mayor will be remembered as one of the city’s best mayors and 27% who say he will be considered an above average mayor in New York City’s history.  35% think Bloomberg will be thought of as an average mayor.  However, 15% think his legacy will be below average, and 10% report he will be perceived as one of the city’s worst mayors.  In Marist’s August survey, 46% thought the mayor’s legacy would be positive, either one of the best or above average.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating (Over Time)

Table: Bloomberg Handling of Snow Removal
Table: New York City Department of Sanitation Handling of Snow Removal
Table: Lessons Learned from the Snowstorm – Bloomberg
Table: Bloomberg’s Legacy

Expectations for Black as Schools Chancellor?

Former media executive Cathie Black is the city’s new schools chancellor, and most New Yorkers don’t have high expectations for her.  In fact, a notable 28% are unsure.  25% think Black will do a fair job, and 16% say she will perform poorly.  Three in ten residents citywide — 30% — say Black will do either an excellent or good job in the position.  Included here are 4% who report she will excel and 26% who believe she will do a good job.

Table: Expectations for Cathie Black as Schools Chancellor

Majority Say NYC Needs a New Compass

Since Bloomberg’s tenure as mayor, this is the first time a majority of registered voters in the city — 53% — report that the Big Apple is moving in the wrong direction.  However, 38% think it is traveling along the right path.  Nine percent are unsure.

When Marist last asked this question in October, 47% said the city was pointed in the wrong direction, 40% thought it was on the proper trajectory, and 13%, at the time, were unsure.

Table: New York City Direction
Table: New York City Direction (Over Time)

NY1-Marist Poll Methodology

10/22: Bloomberg Approval Rating at 58%

A majority of registered voters in New York City — 58% — think Mayor Michael Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  41% rate him as below average.  Bloomberg received a similar rating — 59% — when Marist last asked about the mayor’s job performance in September.

Both Republicans and Democrats give the mayor high marks.  69% of New York City’s GOP say the mayor is doing an above average job as mayor.  60% of Democrats agree.  Similar proportions within the two parties thought this way last month.

However, the mayor has continued to slide among non-enrolled voters.  Currently, 50% believe the mayor is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  In September, that proportion was at 56%.  Two months prior to that, 65% of non-enrolled voters thought Bloomberg was doing an above average job in office.

Voters also believe the overall direction of the city is on track.  58% report the Big Apple is headed in the right direction while 33% think it needs to be redirected.  These findings have slightly improved since Marist last gauged this question in September.  At that time, 54% of the electorate described the city as being on the right course, and 38% saw it heading down the wrong road.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: NYC Direction

Click Here for Complete October 22, 2009 NYC Poll Release and Tables

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Stories:

10/22: Bloomberg Leads Thompson By 16 Percentage Points Among Likely Voters

9/21: Bloomberg Approval Rating Steady

As Mayor Michael Bloomberg digs in to square off against New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson in the race for New York City mayor, how do voters think Michael Bloomberg is doing in office?  59% of registered voters citywide report Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job as mayor.  Just 11% report he is doing poorly.  This is similar to the job approval rating — 58% — Mr. Bloomberg received in July.

Bloomberg’s positive rating crosses party lines.  However, there has been some movement since Marist last asked this question.  69% of Republicans currently give the mayor high marks compared with 62% two months ago.  While his rating has improved among this group, it has dipped among non-enrolled voters with 56% approving of Bloomberg’s performance now and 65% saying the same in July.  As for Democrats, 59% currently look well on the mayor’s job.  56% thought so when last asked.

Overall, does the electorate think the city is headed in the right direction?  54% of registered voters say, “Yes,” while 38% disagree.  These proportions are little changed since Marist last asked this question in July.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: NYC Direction

Click Here for Complete September 21, 2009 Poll Release and Tables

At Issue: Bloomberg’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Where do voters think Mayor Bloomberg excels, and where do they believe he needs improvement?  The electorate in the Big Apple says he’s done the best on education and economic development.  26% and 23%, respectively, believe this to be true.  With 14%, crime comes in a distant third, and security against terrorism follows closely behind with 11%.  17% believe the mayor has done the best on other issues.

As for where Bloomberg needs some work, there is little consensus among the electorate.  15% believe the mayor has done the worst on housing.  14% say transportation is his Achilles’ heel, and similar proportions sound off about taxes — 13%, poverty — 12%, and education — 12%.  26% cite other issues as his weakest.

Table: Bloomberg’s Best Issue
Table: Bloomberg’s Worst Issue

Marist Poll Methodology

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9/21: Bloomberg Leads Thompson 50% to 39%

9/21: An Interview: The 2009 Mayor’s Race

Click Here for Exclusive NY Daily News/Marist Poll Numbers

7/8: Bloomberg Approval Rating at 58%

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s approval rating may have waned a bit back in February, but by the looks of The Marist Poll’s new citywide survey, the mayor is on solid ground.  58% of registered New York City voters report Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office while 40% say he is performing fairly well or poorly.  The mayor received similar ratings when Marist last asked this question in May.  At that time, the mayor rebounded from Marist’s February survey when he received a lower, albeit still strong, approval rating — 52%.

Although Bloomberg’s approval rating crosses party lines, race comes into play.  68% of white voters and 64% of Latino voters give the mayor above average marks.  This compares with just 37% of African American voters who share this view.

What does the electorate think about the city’s trajectory?  A majority is positive about the city’s path.  52% report the city is moving in the right direction.  This is compared with 38% who believe the opposite is true.  Similar proportions of voters said the same in Marist’s May survey.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating

Table: NYC Direction

“Hard Working, Knows Our Problems, and a Good Leader, But Caring Mayor…Mike Is Not,” Says Voters

As in The Marist Poll’s May survey, voters in the Big Apple say they like Mike!  78% of the electorate thinks Bloomberg is working hard as mayor, 68% report he is a good leader for New York City, and 70% think Mayor Bloomberg has a firm grasp on the problems facing the city.

Voters have a different perception of Bloomberg, however, when it comes to being a mayor who cares about the average New Yorker.  Here, the mayor fails to receive a majority of voters who believe he cares about people like them.  In fact, the electorate divides with 48% saying Bloomberg is an empathetic mayor and 46% who disagree.  In May, half of voters said the mayor cares about people like them.

Table:  Bloomberg Working Hard As Mayor

Table: Understands the Problems Facing New York City

Table: Is a Good Leader for New York City

Table: Cares About People Like You

Majority Approves of Bloomberg’s Handling of City Schools, Economic Crisis, & Crime…Other Areas Need Work

The New York State Senate’s legislative inaction has taken control of the New York City public schools out of Mayor Bloomberg’s hands.  But, according to a majority — 53% — of New York City voters, Mayor Bloomberg was doing a good job handling the schools.  38% disagree.  When it comes to money matters, 51% report they like the way Mayor Bloomberg is dealing with the city’s economic crisis.  This is compared with 40% who disagree.  And, looking at the way the mayor is dealing with the city’s budget, 49% approve of Bloomberg’s plan while 41% disapprove.

On the issue of taxes, however, the tides turn against Mayor Bloomberg.  A plurality of the city’s electorate — 49% — disapproves of how Mr. Bloomberg is addressing the situation.  44% approve.  The mayor also needs to score some points on the question of public transportation.  Here, a majority — 56% — say they do not like how the mayor is handling the issue while 39% think Bloomberg is dealing with the matter well.  In all of these areas, the mayor received similar ratings in May.

Since that May survey, there has been a slight dip in the proportion of voters who approve of how Bloomberg is handling crime in New York City.  Although nearly three-quarters of the electorate — 74% — currently support the mayor’s methods, 78% said the same two months ago.

Table: Bloomberg on Public Schools

Table: Bloomberg on Economic Crisis

Table: Bloomberg on the City’s Budget

Table: Bloomberg on Taxes

Table: Bloomberg on Public Transportation

Table: Bloomberg on Crime

Marist Poll Methodology

Lee Miringoff discusses Mayor Bloomberg’s latest poll numbers:

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7/8: Majority Says Elect New Mayor…But, Even More Think Bloomberg Will Win Third Term

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Complete July 8, 2009 NYC Poll Release & Tables

Complete May 13, 2009 NYC Poll Tables

5/13: Bloomberg’s Approval Up 7 Percentage Points

Are things looking up for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg? His job approval rating has had a bit of a bump. 59% of registered New York City voters say Mayor Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office while 39% describe his performance as fair or poor. In The Marist Poll’s February survey, Bloomberg’s job performance was at 52% — his lowest approval rating since June 2005. Just four months prior to that survey, the mayor enjoyed kudos from 68% of the city’s electorate.

There is little difference in opinion among Democrats and Republicans. 58% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans currently say they are pleased with Mayor Mike’s job performance. Even more non-enrolled voters share this view. 68% of these voters report Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office.

Voters are also more positive about the status of the city. More than half of the electorate — 53% –thinks New York City is headed in the right direction while 40% report it’s moving down the wrong path. That’s a turnaround, though, from Marist’s February survey when 49% of voters thought the city was marching in the wrong direction, and only 37% of the electorate believed it was right on track.

Table: Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: NYC Direction

No Runs, No Hits, No Errors…Bloomberg’s Image Intact

When it comes to Mayor Bloomberg’s image, most voters say, “I like Mike.” In fact, 81% think the mayor rolls up his sleeves and works hard for New York City, 73% believe he understands the problems facing the city, and a similar proportion calls Bloomberg “a good leader for New York.” However, Bloomberg’s marks drop when it comes to his image as a caring mayor. Just half of the city’s electorate thinks Bloomberg is a mayor who cares about the average New Yorker. Overall, Mayor Bloomberg’s image has changed little since The Marist Poll’s February survey.

Table: Bloomberg Working Hard As Mayor
Table: Understands the Problems Facing New York City
Table: Is a Good Leader for New York City
Table: Cares About People Like You

Bloomberg Makes Inroads on Education…Mixed Bag on Other Issues

As debate swirls over whether Mayor Bloomberg should remain in control of New York City’s public schools, voters’ opinions toward the mayor’s handling of the school system have improved. A slim majority — 51% — report they approve of Bloomberg’s methods while 41% disapprove. In Marist’s February survey, just the opposite was the case. At that time 40% approved of his handling of education, and 52% disapproved.

Mayor Bloomberg has also earned points on his handling of crime and the economic crisis. Looking at crime, most voters citywide — 78% — agree with how Bloomberg is dealing with the issue. And, with the economic crisis looming over the city, how does Bloomberg’s approach to handling it fare? Half of the electorate thinks he’s doing a good job. On both crime and the economic crisis, Bloomberg has received a seven percentage point increase since February.

What do voters think of the mayor’s handling of the city budget? Compared with three months ago, Bloomberg has managed to sway the opinions of slightly more voters. Just less than half of the electorate — 49% — currently approve of Bloomberg’s approach toward the budget while 44% disapprove. The electorate was dead even in February when 46% approved and 46% disapproved.

Taxes and public transportation, however, are a different story. Little has changed in voters’ impressions of how Bloomberg is doing on these issues. A majority — 53% — disapprove of Bloomberg’s tax policy while 41% approve. Voters voice similar concern about the mayor’s approach to public transportation.

Mayor Bloomberg recently had a new issue to handle — an outbreak of the H1N1 flu commonly known as swine flu in New York City. How did he do? Nearly three quarters of the electorate — 74% — approve of how he dealt with the crisis.

Table: Bloomberg on Public Schools
Table: Bloomberg on Crime
Table: Bloomberg on Economic Crisis
Table: Bloomberg on the City’s Budget
Table: Bloomberg on Taxes
Table: Bloomberg on Public Transportation
Table: Bloomberg on H1N1 Flu

Marist Poll Methodology

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5/13: Talking Taxes…Majority Opposes Proposed Sales Tax Increase

Complete May 13, 2009 NYC Poll Release and Tables

New York City Race for Mayor

Mayor Bloomberg achieves his highest approval rating from city voters: Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s job approval rating, his combined excellent and good scores, is 58%, the highest point he’s attained during his tenure in City Hall.

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