Maurice Carroll, Director, Quinnipiac University Polling Institute (203) 582-5334 Rubenstein Associates, Inc. Public Relations Contact: Pat Smith (212) 843-8026 FOR RELEASE: FEBRUARY 28, 2013 NEW YORKERS BACK BAN ON TAKE-OUT FOAM MORE THAN 2-1, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; GIULIANI RANKED BEST MAYOR, WITH KOCH, BLOOMBERG TIED New York City voters support 69 – 26 percent Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on plastic foam food and drink containers, with strong support from every borough and in every group except Republicans, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. The ban on large servings of sugary drinks is harder to swallow, especially among black voters who oppose the ban 60 – 38 percent. All New York City voters are opposed 51 – 46 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Women are divided on the big drink ban, with 48 percent in favor and 49 percent opposed. Men oppose the ban 54 – 44 percent. White and Hispanic voters also are divided. New York City voters approve 53 – 40 percent of the job Bloomberg is doing, compared to 56 – 37 percent January 17. Rudolph Giuliani did the best job of any New York City mayor in the last 50 years, 31 percent of voters say, with 25 percent for Ed Koch and 24 percent for Bloomberg. David Dinkins and John Lindsay get 6 percent each with 1 percent for Abe Beam. Giuliani is the choice of 73 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of Democrats and 36 percent of independent voters. Bloomberg gets the nod from 4 percent of Republicans, 30 percent of Democrats and 21 percent of independent voters. Koch is the pick of 16 percent of Republicans, 29 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of independent voters. “Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on plastic foam take-out containers looks like his most popular public health initiative so far,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Even Staten Islanders, who have not been too receptive to other so-called ‘Nanny Government’ initiatives, approve of this one because they still live with the remains of the Fresh Kills Landfill.” -more- Quinnipiac University Poll/February 28, 2013 – page 2 “Mayor Bloomberg maintains his pretty-good-for-a-third-term job approval. No more of those 70 percent numbers that were routine in his second term. But, as his tenure winds down, we still like him,” Carroll said. “Even with all the nostalgic attention to his funeral and the flawed new movie about him, former Mayor Ed Koch comes in second on the favorite-mayor list. He and Bloomberg split the Democratic vote and are tied behind Giuliani, who dominates among Republicans.” New York City voters approve 66 – 26 percent of the job Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is doing and approve 61 – 31 percent of the job police are doing in general. Voters disapprove 55 – 39 percent of the police stop-and-frisk tactic and say 44 – 22 percent that they are less likely rather than more likely to vote for a mayoral candidate who supports continuing stop-and-frisk. But voters say 32 – 21 percent that they are more likely rather than less likely to vote for a candidate who supports keeping Kelly as police commissioner. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott gets a narrow 41 – 38 percent approval rating. The next mayor should share control of public schools with an independent board, 60 percent of voters say, while 17 percent say the next mayor should keep total control of public schools. Voters say 41 – 16 percent that they are less likely rather than more likely to vote for a mayoral candidate who supports continuing mayoral control of the schools. “Pluralities of voters turn thumbs-down on continuing two of Mayor Bloomberg’s favorite policies, mayoral control of the schools and the police stop-and-frisk practice, when he moves out of City Hall,” Carroll said. “But, despite the ridicule from some, voters say 36 – 24 percent that they are more likely rather than less likely to vote for the candidate who support’s Mayor Mike’s public health policies, but they are less likely 29 – 21 percent to vote for a candidate who backs the drink ban.” From February 20 – 25, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,017 New York City voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research. For more information or RSS feed, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 2 15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Approve 53% 45% 56% 53% 60% 48% 56% 43% 56% Disapprove 40 54 37 39 35 45 39 51 36 DK/NA 6 1 7 8 5 7 6 6 8 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Approve 57% 48% 43% 50% 72% 58% 51% 53% Disapprove 36 46 49 44 26 38 45 38 DK/NA 7 5 8 6 2 4 4 8 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Approve 47% 51% 63% 56% 32% Disapprove 48 40 32 39 66 DK/NA 5 9 6 5 2 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as Mayor? (*High also 75% Oct 3 2008, Mar 2008, Jan 2007 & Nov 2005) APPROVE....... High Low Feb 28 Jan 17 Nov 20 Aug 15 Jun 13 Oct 21 Jul 02 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2008* 2003 Approve 53 56 56 51 50 75 31 Disapprove 40 37 34 40 39 20 60 DK/NA 6 7 10 9 11 6 8 16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Approve 66% 84% 61% 67% 68% 63% 81% 55% 52% Disapprove 26 15 29 23 25 27 13 35 36 DK/NA 9 2 9 10 7 10 6 10 12 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Approve 66% 66% 62% 69% 72% 52% 66% 76% Disapprove 26 25 29 26 25 39 27 15 DK/NA 8 9 10 5 4 10 8 9 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Approve 47% 68% 67% 69% 80% Disapprove 40 23 25 24 16 DK/NA 14 9 8 7 4 3 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly is handling his job as Police Commissioner? APPROVE....... High Low Feb 28 Jan 17 Nov 21 Aug 16 Jun 14 Jan 17 Jan 16 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2013 2007 Approve 66 75 68 64 61 75 52 Disapprove 26 18 23 26 26 18 34 DK/NA 9 8 9 10 13 8 14 17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Dennis Walcott is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Approve 41% 34% 45% 34% 45% 38% 38% 46% 41% Disapprove 38 43 36 38 33 42 37 39 38 DK/NA 21 23 19 28 22 21 25 15 22 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Approve 39% 43% 40% 40% 45% 42% 39% 44% Disapprove 39 37 38 41 38 42 43 32 DK/NA 22 20 21 18 17 16 18 24 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Approve 41% 42% 42% 39% 36% Disapprove 42 36 33 40 50 DK/NA 16 22 25 21 14 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Dennis Walcott is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor? APPROVE....... High Low Feb 28 Jan 17 Nov 21 Aug 15 Jun 14 Jan 17 May 11 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2013 2011 Approve 41 45 42 37 37 45 31 Disapprove 38 34 33 31 35 34 21 DK/NA 21 22 25 31 28 22 48 4 21. Who do you think did the best job as Mayor; Rudy Giuliani, David Dinkins, Ed Koch, Abe Beame, John Lindsay, or Michael Bloomberg? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Hsp Giuliani 31% 73% 19% 36% 29% 32% 35% 21% 37% Dinkins 6 2 8 3 6 6 3 15 3 Koch 25 16 29 23 25 26 25 27 26 Beame 1 2 1 - 1 1 1 2 - Lindsay 6 1 6 6 6 5 5 8 7 Bloomberg 24 4 30 21 29 19 27 19 18 DK/NA 7 1 8 11 4 10 5 8 9 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HSHOLD INC AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <50K 50-100 >100K 18-34 35-54 55+ Giuliani 27% 36% 36% 29% 27% 43% 32% 22% Dinkins 4 8 6 7 5 4 8 6 Koch 24 27 26 30 22 18 25 31 Beame 1 1 1 1 - - 1 2 Lindsay 7 4 6 5 4 1 3 11 Bloomberg 27 19 16 23 37 24 25 22 DK/NA 9 5 9 5 5 11 6 7 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Giuliani 29% 31% 27% 32% 52% Dinkins 6 6 7 4 5 Koch 35 24 22 26 20 Beame - 1 - 2 1 Lindsay 6 7 6 5 3 Bloomberg 18 22 33 23 14 DK/NA 7 10 5 7 6 TREND: Who do you think did the best job as Mayor; Rudy Giuliani, David Dinkins, Ed Koch, Abe Beame, John Lindsay, or Michael Bloomberg? (*Which one did the best...) Feb 28 Jul 27 2013 2011* Giuliani 31 34 Dinkins 6 7 Koch 25 20 Beame 1 1 Lindsay 6 6 Bloomberg 24 26 DK/NA 7 6 5 22.