May 12, 2010
5/12: NYS Economy: Overall, Voters Have Brighter Outlook, But Upstate …
President Barack Obama will visit Buffalo, New York tomorrow. The topic: the economy. With a majority of registered voters upstate — 57% — saying the state’s economy is getting worse, the president’s timing couldn’t be better. In fact, just 11% upstate believe New York’s economy is improving, and one-third report it is about the same as it has been. Upstate voters’ perceptions of the economy have not changed much since Marist last asked about the state’s economy in early April.
Click Here for Complete May 12, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables
Overall, though, fewer voters statewide believe the state’s economy is getting worse. 48%, now, think the economy is deteriorating compared with a majority — 54% — in Marist’s April 8th survey. However, voters are tempering their optimism. Nearly four in ten — 37% — believe the economy is staying about the same while just 15% report it is getting better. When Marist last asked this question in early April, similar proportions shared these views with 34% responding the economy was status quo and 12% saying it was improving.
Pessimism has waned in the suburbs and New York City. 44% of voters in the suburbs think New York State’s economy is getting worse, and 39% believe it is staying about the same. This compares with 58% in the region who thought the economy had taken a turn for the worse and 32% who thought it was status quo in April. In fact, the proportion of those who believe the economy is getting better has marginally increased. 17% of those in the suburbs say that’s the case now compared with 10% in Marist’s early April survey.
While 36% of voters in New York City report the economy is getting worse, that proportion has decreased since early April. At that time, 43% held this view. As for those who think the economy is not changing, 43% in New York City believe this to be true while 40% said the same when Marist last asked this question. And, currently, more than one-fifth — 21% — say the economy is improving. In April that proportion stood at 17%.
Voters are also a little more optimistic about their own family finances. While a majority of voters in New York believe their personal financial situation will stay about the same in the coming year, there has been a slight increase in those who believe it will get better. More than one-quarter — 27% — think their wallets are about to get a little fatter while 22% thought that way in April. 54% report their finances will stay about the same while 59% felt that way last month. And, the proportion who say their family finances will get worse remains constant at 19%.
Once again, voters in New York City and in the suburbs have a brighter outlook than do those upstate. 41% of those in the Big Apple and 30% of those in the suburbs believe their family finances will improve. This compares with 32% and 15%, respectively, who reported the same in Marist’s April survey. There has been little change among those upstate. Only 17% think their personal finances will improve. 19% said the same in April.
Table: New York State Economy
Table: Family Finances in the Coming Year