newjerseynewsroom.com

Residents also support a "millionaires' tax," oppose online gambling

As the Democratic-controlled Legislature prepared to begin acting on making gay marriage legal in New Jersey, a newly-released poll finds voters in the state the idea by 52 to 42 percent.

And for the first time, that supports tops 50 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll made public Thursday. The previous high for same-sex marriage was 49 to 43 percent in an April, survey.

There is a strong divide between those who attend religious services weekly and those who attend less frequently.

In the latest survey, support for same-sex marriage is 62 to 33 percent among Democrats and 54 to 38 percent among independent voters. Republicans are opposed 59 to 35 percent.

White Catholics support it 50 to 45 percent while white Protestants are opposed 51 to 44 percent. Voters who attend religious services weekly are opposed 58 to 36 percent, while voter who attend services less frequently support same-sex marriage 61 to 33 percent.

On related issues, New Jersey voter opinions are:

• 65 to 32 percent that same-sex marriage is not a threat to traditional marriage;
• 53 to 45 percent that denying same-sex marriage is discrimination;
• 69 to 26 percent support for New Jersey’s same-sex civil union law;
• 66 to 29 percent support allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.

“Legislative Democrats are making same-sex marriage their big opening issue and New Jersey voters support them, Maurice Carroll, the poll‘s director, said. “There are demographic splits – Catholics are more supportive than Protestants. All groups support same-sex civil unions. Most groups support allowing same-sex couples to adopt children, while black voters are divided on that issue.”

The poll also measured other hot button political issues in New Jersey.

New Jersey voters oppose 52 to 41 percent legalizing online gambling. There is a big gender gap as men support online gambling 55 to 40 percent while women oppose it 64 to 28 percent. Opposition is 59 to 35 percent among Democrats and 52 to 43 percent among independent voters, while Republicans are divided 47 to 47 percent.

“With women opposed more than 2-1, online gambling comes up craps in New Jersey,” Carroll said.

New Jersey voters support 58 to 30 percent the so-called Millionaire’s Tax, with 75–14 percent support among Democrats and 61–29 percent support among independent voters. Republicans oppose the tax 52–33 percent.

Voters approve 52–42 percent of the way Gov. Christopher Christie is handling the New Jersey budget and support 61–36 percent his proposal to eliminate pay for unused sick leave by state employees. Voters also say 56–36 percent that public employees are not doing their fair share to ease the state’s financial problems.

By a 57–23 percent margin, Garden State voters have a favorable opinion of public school teachers, but they give the state’s largest teachers union a negative 29–44 percent score.

Voters support 66–30 percent rewarding good teachers with extra pay, but also support 59–33 percent Gov. Christie’s proposal to limit teacher tenure.

Voters oppose school vouchers 49–44 percent and oppose charter schools 51–41 percent.

“Gov. Christopher Christie, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg all are picking on the teachers union,” Carroll said. “New Jerseyans like the people who teach their kids but don’t like their union. Merit pay and limits on tenure both win heavy support.”

From January 10–16, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,460 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers called land lines and cell phones.

– TOM HESTER SR., NEW JERSEYNEWSROOM.COM