Siena Survey Shows Decline in Governor Hochul’s Popularity

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – New Siena College Poll Reveals Voter Sentiment on State Budget

A recent Siena College Poll has shed light on New York voters’ opinions regarding the state budget, with 38% believing it will have a positive impact, compared to 26% who think it will be negative.

The poll also highlighted the top five proposals that most voters support, including:

• $1B for mental health services – with an overwhelming 80% in favor and only 9% against
• Increasing the minimum wage – supported by 64% of voters, with 24% opposed
• Giving judges more discretion to set bail – 59% in favor, 20% against
• $100M to support abortion providers – 59% in favor, 27% against
• Authorizing the state to penalize or close unlicensed cannabis businesses – 58% in favor, 26% against

However, opinions were more divided on new building electrification mandates (40-39%) and expanded film tax credits (38-36%).

In addition to the budget, the poll also revealed a shift in sentiment towards Governor Kathy Hochul, with her favorability rating dipping into negative territory for the first time (40-45%). This marks a decrease from 43-43% in March.

While a majority of voters still view her as hardworking (58-20%), there are growing concerns about her effectiveness (39-39%).

Furthermore, the poll found that the U.S. Supreme Court’s favorability has declined, with 37% of voters viewing it unfavorably, compared to 52% favorably.

These findings mark a significant shift from previous years, with the Court’s favorability at its highest in July 2012 at 63-30%. Interestingly, the poll also revealed a stark partisan divide, with 57% of Republicans viewing the Court favorably, while 65% of Democrats view it unfavorably. Most Independents also view the Court unfavorably (40-49%).