Poll: 8 in 10 voters expect NYS tax increases

ALBANY - More than eight in 10 voters expect tax increases to be used to close next year's $9-billion budget deficit, despite promises from Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to the contrary, according to a poll released Thursday.

The Quinnipiac University Poll found 82 percent of registered voters forecast tax hikes to help balance the 2011-12 budget. Thirteen percent said there would be no increases, and 5 percent didn't know.

By 66 percent to 31 percent, voters oppose raising taxes to remedy New York's fiscal woes. The sentiment is seen among all demographic groups and regions of the state.

Cuomo, in his successful campaign for governor, vowed not to increase taxes in his first year. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) and incoming State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) have both said that hiking levies would harm the fragile economic recovery.

Pollster Maurice Carroll said voters "would sooner cut unspecified services than raise taxes. But preferences aside, an overwhelming majority think Albany will boost their tax bills."

The poll of 1,646 registered voters, conducted Nov. 30 through Monday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.