Poll: Voters want Cuomo to make job creation top priority

ALBANY - Nearly half of all voters want Andrew Cuomo to make job creation his top priority as governor and a majority are somewhat or very optimistic that he will succeed, according to a poll released Monday.

The Siena College Research Institute found 48 percent of registered voters saying jobs programs should top Cuomo's agenda when he moves into the Executive Mansion on Jan. 1.

Thirty-one percent said balancing the state budget should take precedence over all other issues; 9 percent said passage of a cap on local property taxes; 6 percent, tougher ethics laws in Albany; and 4 percent, establish an independent commission to draw legislative district boundaries for the next 10 years.

When asked what Cuomo's second priority should be, 33 percent said the budget and 18 percent, the tax cap. "Voters know the issues they want Cuomo to work on and they are at least somewhat optimistic he will succeed in addressing them," said pollster Steven Greenberg.

They are most bullish, 75 percent, about the Democrat's ability to foster job growth. Only 24 percent said they were not very or not at all optimistic that he would develop programs to boost employment.

Voters were most pessimistic about Cuomo's chances of securing legislative passage of the property tax cap and nonpartisan redistricting, though slightly more than half said they were either somewhat or very optimistic of his success.

They were divided over whether Cuomo would improve the quality of life in the next two years. Forty-one percent said life would get better while 44 percent said it would stay the same and 14 percent said things would get worse.

With control of the State Senate still uncertain two weeks after the general elections, 53 percent said Democrats and Republicans should share power while those favoring a Democratic majority or GOP majority were evenly split. Republicans most wanted their party to be in control.

"A majority of voters from every region want a shared power relationship," Greenberg said.

Talk of Cuomo running for the White House doesn't sit well with most voters. More than eight in 10 prefer he prove himself as governor before seeking the presidency.

The Nov. 8-10 poll of 802 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points.