NYS suffers from sky-high costs, crime and migrant crisis: survey
New York is in a state of decline, with a deteriorating quality of life coupled with sky-high housing costs, rampant crime and an ongoing refugee crisis, according to a new survey.
Fifty-seven percent of the 804 registered voters who took part in the Siena College poll released Tuesday said the quality of life in the Empire State is getting worse, while 27 percent said it has stayed the same and just 14 percent said it is better.
“A large majority of Republicans, a large majority of Independents and a majority of Democrats all say the quality of life in New York is getting worse,” said Siena College Poster Steven Greenberg.
“In fact, a majority of virtually every demographic — a variety of Democrats, liberals and New York voters — say things are getting worse.
“Only 4% of independents, 5% of Republicans and 22% of Democrats say things are getting better in New York.”
The survey also found:
Meanwhile, 52% of voters said access to affordable health care was a major issue, 44% of respondents said threats to the environment were a pressing issue and 38% said New Yorkers’ decision to flee the state a big problem.
When asked what is the single most important issue that Governor Hochul and the Legislature should address: 27% of voters said the cost of living, 19% said crime, 18% said the refugee crisis, 17% said the lack of affordable housing, and 8 % said lack of access or cost of healthcare.
According to the survey, there was remarkable agreement across the political spectrum on the state’s pressing issues.
“Surprisingly, there is significant agreement among Democrats, Republicans and independents in assessing the severity of the problems facing New York,” Greenberg said.
“At least 80% of every partisan group believes the cost of living in the state is a major problem. At least 71% of all respondents say affordable housing is a major problem, as do at least 64% of respondents about crime and at least 51% of respondents about the influx of migrants,” he added.
In a startling finding, 88% of voters combined said either President Biden, former President Donald Trump or both were mentally or physically unfit to serve as president for the next four-year term.
- 34% said neither was fit for duty
- 26% said Trump was unfit
- 28% Biden is not fit
That means 62% of voters in blue-leaning New York said the incumbent 80-year-old Democratic president is not fit for a second term, and 60% of respondents said 77-year-old GOPer Trump is not fit for a second term suitable.
By a margin of nearly two to one, 60% of voters say next year’s presidential election is the most important of their lives, compared with 33%.
This Siena College poll was conducted September 10-13 among 804 registered voters surveyed via landline and cell phone lines as well as an online panel. The margin of error is plus/minus 4.3 percentage points.
