newjerseynewsroom.com

Comes two days after two polls found public backs teachers

Sixty-five percent of New Jerseyans favor a one-year pay freeze on the salaries of administrators, teachers and school workers as part of Gov. Chris Christie's effort to reduce the state's level of local school aid, according to a Rasmussen Reports telephone survey made public Friday.

Just 28 percent of New Jerseyans oppose this pay freeze to meet Christie's proposed $820 million reduction in state school aid. The governor is proposing the reduction as part of his effort to close the state's $10.5 billion budget deficit.

The state teachers' union, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), officially opposes a pay freeze, but locals in at least 11 school districts have accepted them to save the jobs of colleagues.

But 66 percent of New Jerseyans say the union is more interested in protecting its members' jobs than in the quality of education. Twenty-four percent believe the union places the quality of education first.

"The results of a Rasmussen Reports poll finds the public heavily in support of Governor Christie's call for a wage freeze from teachers across the state to soften the impact of budget cuts and to save teacher jobs and school programs,'' Drewniak said. "The NJEA and its local units are by and large refusing to accede to such a small, short-term sacrifice remains a mind-boggling position given the depth of this budget crisis and what little is being asked.''

Rasmussen Reports was founded in 2003. Time Magazine has described Rasmussen Reports as a "conservative-leaning polling group.'' Scott Rasmussen, the firm's president, was a paid consultant for the 2004 George W. Bush presidential campaign.

On the other hand, a Fordham University analysis ranked Rasmussen Reports as the most accurate national polling firm in the 2008 election. Reports by Slate Magazine and The Wall Street Journal found Rasmussen Reports was one of the most accurate polling firms in the 2004 and 2006 elections.

According to the poll, 52 percent think public employee unions put a significant strain on the state's budget. Twenty-eight percent disagree, while another 20 percent are not sure.

The poll also found New Jerseyans are following the war of words between the Christie and the teachers' union. Ninety percent of New jerseyans say they have been following news reports about it at least somewhat closely, including 55 percent who are following very closely.

New Jersey males are slightly more supportive of the pay freeze than women. People age 40 and older are much more strongly in favor of the freeze than younger adults.

Fifty-one percent of white New Jerseyans favor it, while 59 percent of African-Americans are opposed. Those without children in the home are slightly more supportive of the pay freeze than those who have children living with them.

Eighty-four percent of Republican New Jerseyans and 75 percent of Independents support a pay freeze. Democrats are almost evenly divided on the question.

Fifty-one percent of Democratic New Jerseyans think the NJEA is more interested in protecting its members than in the quality of education. Republicans and unaffiliated New Jerseyans overwhelmingly agree with that view.

Solid majorities of Republicans and unaffiliated New Jerseyans also believe that public employee unions are a significant strain on the state budget, Democrats are fairly evenly divided on that question.

Two-thirds of adults with children in the home and those without children agree that the teacher's union is more interested in protecting its members. Just 47 percent of those with children in the home agree.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM