Poll: Area consumers feel food, gas pinch

Rising prices for food, and to a lesser extent gasoline, are pinching the wallets of metropolitan area residents, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The Siena College Research Institute found 70 percent of people living on Long Island, in New York City and its northern suburbs said their finances were either very seriously or somewhat seriously impacted by food costs this month. That's an increase of 5 percentage points from February, and matched the statewide figure.

Soaring gas prices also are of concern, with 60 percent of metro residents saying their finances have been impacted, up from 56 percent in February. Statewide, 65 percent of residents said they were seriously affected by pump prices.

"There was a real significant jump" in the number of people complaining about food costs, said Douglas Lonnstrom, the institute's founder.

He also said reactions to gas prices were mixed because many New York City residents rely on mass transit, not cars, to get around.

Consumer confidence in the metro area was higher this month than in either the nation or New York State -- largely due to bullishness about the future, not current circumstances.

"New Yorkers are feeling better about tomorrow than today," Lonnstrom said. "People across the nation are feeling better about today than tomorrow."

He attributed the difference in outlook, in part, to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's recent budget deal with legislative leaders. Albany lawmakers are now racing to adopt the 2011-12 budget before 12:01 a.m. Friday.

The New York survey was conducted by random telephone calls to 803 state residents over age 18.