State lawmakers don’t deserve the fat pay hike they just received, according to a new poll of voters, even though it’s the first in two decades.
Fifty-seven percent of registered voters gave a thumbs-down to pay hikes imposed by a state commission that boosted legislative salaries from $79,500 to $110,000 this year and to $130,000 by 2021 — while restricting outside income and eliminating most legislative stipends, according to a Siena College survey released on Monday.
Andrew CuomoGetty ImagesOnly 35 percent backed the pay raise with the remaining 8 percent undecided.
The first phase of the salary increase went into effect last week. But a court case is challenging whether a non-elected panel has the legal authority to impose pay hikes without a vote of the Legislature.
Lawmakers haven’t had a pay raise since 1999.
Voters were even more opposed to boosting the pay of statewide officeholders — the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and agency heads. Only 15 percent approved those pay hikes and 80 percent disapproved.
Meanwhile, 52 percent backed congestion pricing — charging motorists a fee to enter midtown Manhattan — to fund mass transit, while 39 percent were opposed.
New Yorkers also backed the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana 56 percent to 41 percent.
On other issues:
- Two-thirds of voters back a permanent cap on property tax increases.
- 63 percent support a state law to strengthen abortion rights.
- 77 percent back a law to allow adult victims of child abuse to sue their tormentors or places that employed them.
- By a 58-39 percent margin, voters support the Dream Act to provide tuition assistance to children of illegal immigrants.
- Two-thirds of voters support the expansion of the civil rights law to protect transgender New Yorkers.
- Seventy-five percent support extending background checks for gun purchases from three to 10 days.
- Voters support campaign finance reform, with 66 percent backing a ban on corporate donations to state candidates.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo starts his third term and ninth year in office with a 51-43 percent favorability rating, up from 45-49 percent in November.
Still, only 43 percent of voters rated Cuomo’s job performance as good or excellent while 56 percent graded it as fair or poor.
The Legislature starts off in positive territory.
By a 48-32 percent margin, voters view the state Assembly favorably — its best rating ever in Siena polling.
The Senate has a 49-38 percent favorability rating.
The Siena survey queried 805 registered voters from Jan. 6-10. It has a 4.1 percent margin of error.
