New York is in a state of decline — with a worsening quality of life tied to sky high costs of housing, rampant crime and an unrelenting migrant crisis, according to a new poll.
Fifty-seven percent of 804 registered voters who participated in the Siena College Poll released Tuesday said the quality of life in the Empire State is getting worse, while 27% said it was the same and just 14% said it was better.
“A huge majority of Republicans, a large majority of independents and a plurality of Democrats all say the quality of life in New York is getting worse,” said Siena College poster Steven Greenberg said.
“In fact, a majority of virtually every demographic group – pluralities of Democrats, liberals and New York City voters – say things are getting worse.
“Only 4% of independents, 5% of Republicans and 22% of Democrats say things in New York are getting better.”
The survey also found:
Meanwhile, 52% of voters said access to affordable health care was a major issue, 44% of respondents said threats to environment was a pressing concern and 38% said New Yorkers choosing to flee the state was a major concern.
Asked which is the single most important issue Gov. Hochul and the legislature should address: 27% of voters said the cost of living, 19% said crime, 18% said the migrant crisis, 17% said the dearth of affordable housing and 8% said lack of access or the cost of health care.
There was remarkable agreement across the political spectrum about the state’s pressing problems, according to the poll.
“In assessing the severity of problems facing New York, there is, surprisingly, considerable agreement among Democrats, Republicans and independents,” said Greenberg.
“At least 80% of each partisan group thinks the cost of living in the state is a major problem. At least 71% of each say affordable housing is a major problem, as do at least 64% of each about crime, and at least 51% of each about the migrant influx,” he added.
In one stunning finding, 88% of voters combined said that either President Biden, former President Donald Trump or both were mentally or physically unfit to serve as president for the next four year term.
- 34% said neither is fit to serve
- 26% said Trump is not fit
- 28% Biden is not fit
That means 62% of voters in blue-leaning New York said the sitting 80-year-old Democratic president is unfit to serve a second term, and 60% of respondents said the 77-year-old GOPer Trump is unfit to serve.
By nearly two-to-one margin voters say next year’s presidential election is the most important of their lives, 60% compared to 33% .
This Siena College Poll was conducted September 10 – 13 among 804 registered voters interviewed via land and mobile phone lines and from an online panel. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
