Maurice Carroll, Assistant Director,
Quinnipiac University Poll
(212) 362-9217
Rubenstein Associates, Inc.
Public Relations
Contact: Pat Smith (212) 843-8026
FOR RELEASE: MAY 25, 2016
MAYOR DOES PAY TO PLAY, NEW YORK CITY VOTERS SAY 2-1,
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;
CORRUPTION IS SERIOUS PROBLEM IN CITY, VOTERS SAY
New York City voters say 55 – 21 percent that Mayor Bill de Blasio “does favors for developers
who make political contributions to campaigns in which he is involved,” according to a
Quinnipiac University poll released today. But voters who believe the mayor does these favors
say 54 – 28 percent that these actions are unethical but not illegal.
Political corruption in New York City is a “very serious” problem, 52 percent of voters
say, while 34 percent say it is “somewhat serious,” the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-peack) University Poll finds. Another 8 percent say corruption is “not very serious” and 2 percent
say it is “not a problem at all.”
New York City voters disapprove 53 – 24 percent of the way de Blasio is handling
political corruption. No party, gender, racial, borough or age group approves.
While 28 percent of those voters who say de Blasio does favors for donor-developers say
it’s illegal, 54 percent say it is unethical but not illegal and 13 percent say it is “not seriously
wrong.”
“With a virtual wildfire of news stories about corruption investigations, voters think
Mayor Bill de Blasio has favored well-connected real estate people. Voters who believe the
mayor does favors think it’s unethical more than illegal,” said Quinnipiac University Poll
Assistant Director Maurice Carroll.
“And since voters see the mayor as part of the problem, they certainly don’t give him
good grades for handling the problem.”
-more-
Quinnipiac University Poll/May 25, 2016 – page 2
New York City voters approve 52 – 32 percent of the job Police Commissioner William
Bratton is doing. There is little racial or gender gap as white voters approve 54 – 32 percent
while black voters approve 55 – 31 percent, with Hispanic approval at 48 – 33 percent.
Approval is 54 – 32 percent among men and 49 – 31 percent among women.
There is a larger racial gap as all voters approve 57 – 31 percent of the job former Police
Commissioner Ray Kelly did. White voters approve 73 – 16 percent while black voters approve
47 – 41 percent. Hispanic approval is 44 – 38 percent.
Voters say 47 – 30 percent that Kelly was a more effective police commissioner than
Bratton. White voters back Kelly 56 – 24 percent, while black voters go 42 percent for Bratton
and 38 percent for Kelly. Hispanic voters pick Kelly 41 – 27 percent.
New York City voters approve 59 – 35 percent of the job police are doing city-wide.
White voters approve 75 – 19 percent, while black voters are divided 46 – 45 percent and
Hispanic voters disapprove 54 – 44 percent.
A total of 87 percent of voters say crime is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious”
problem.
Police corruption is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem, 73 percent of voters
say.
Crime and housing are the most important problems in New York City, with each
problem listed by 15 percent of voters, while 13 percent cite the economy.
“Police corruption is considered a big problem; political corruption more so,” Carroll
said. “Overall, the cops get good marks, with exceptionally high approval in the white
community off-setting only a stand-off among black New Yorkers.
“Police Commissioner William Bratton gets good job approval numbers but – maybe it’s
just nostalgia – his predecessor, Ray Kelly, does better.”
From May 18 – 23, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,038 New York City voters, with a
margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia,
Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.
Visit www.quinnipiac.edu/polling or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll
Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.
2
9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Bratton is handling his job as
Police Commissioner?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
52%
32
17
54%
29
17
54%
30
16
46%
38
16
54%
32
13
49%
31
19
54%
32
15
55%
31
14
48%
33
19
AREA.............................
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
Brnx
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
45%
28
27
45%
30
25
46%
36
18
58%
25
17
56%
34
11
56%
37
7
43%
43
14
61%
27
12
58%
27
15
10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ray Kelly handled his job as Police
Commissioner?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
57%
31
12
78%
6
16
48%
40
12
62%
26
12
60%
31
9
54%
31
15
73%
16
12
47%
41
11
44%
38
18
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
51%
36
12
43%
37
21
58%
28
13
47%
39
14
61%
28
11
77%
14
9
61%
35
4
59%
31
10
63%
22
16
11. Who do you think has been a more effective police commissioner, Bill Bratton or
Ray Kelly?
Bratton
Kelly
DK/NA
Bratton
Kelly
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
30%
47
23
10%
68
22
39%
38
23
26%
55
19
32%
49
19
29%
44
27
24%
56
21
42%
38
19
27%
41
32
AREA.............................
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
Brnx
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
28%
40
31
28%
49
22
27%
53
20
40%
34
26
30%
48
21
17%
66
17
23%
50
26
34%
44
22
36%
46
19
3
20. What do you think is the most important problem facing New York City today?
Tot
Housing Total
15%
Housing general
5
Housing Costs/Availability 8
Housing other
2
Crime Total
Crime/Violence general
Drugs
Crime other
15%
13
1
1
Economy Total
Economy general
Unemployment/Jobs
Cost of living
Minimum wage too low
Economy other
13%
3
6
3
1
1
Education Total
Education general
Education other
8%
6
2
Poverty/Homeless
7%
Police Total
Police general
Police brutality/Racism
Police community
tensions/relations
Lack of respect for police
Police other
6%
1
1
Politicians Total
de Blasio/City leadership
Political corruption
Politicians other
3%
1
1
1
Class inequality
3%
Terrorism Total
Terrorism general
Security/Safety
3%
1
2
Mass Transit Total
Quality mass/public trans
Traffic/Congestion
Transportation other
3%
1
1
1
Taxes
2%
Gun control
2%
Cities/Urban Total
Infrastructure
Cities/Urban issues other
2%
1
1
Racism/Race relations
2%
Budget
Immigration
Overcrowding/Over population
Quality of life
Healthcare/Costs/Ins/HMO's
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
Other
DK/NA
4%
7%
1
1
2
4
29. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mayor de Blasio is handling - political
corruption?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
24%
53
22
8%
80
12
34%
40
26
15%
65
19
26%
56
18
23%
52
26
17%
66
17
35%
41
24
28%
48
24
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
27%
54
19
21%
54
24
25%
56
20
23%
48
29
24%
53
23
22%
63
15
28%
54
18
23%
55
21
27%
48
25
30. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the New York City police are doing their job?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
59%
35
7
75%
22
3
53%
40
7
64%
28
8
68%
26
7
51%
42
7
75%
19
7
46%
45
9
44%
54
1
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
41%
55
4
52%
45
3
56%
32
12
64%
31
5
63%
32
5
76%
23
1
55%
37
8
60%
36
4
68%
23
8
31. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their
job?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
71%
24
5
89%
8
3
67%
29
4
71%
23
6
74%
22
4
69%
26
5
84%
11
4
61%
32
7
58%
41
1
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
59%
40
1
69%
29
2
70%
21
9
78%
18
4
70%
26
4
81%
17
2
66%
30
4
70%
26
4
83%
14
4
5
32. In general, how serious a problem do you think - crime is in New York City: a very
serious problem, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at all?
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
Very serious
47%
Smwht serious
40
Not very serious
10
Not a problem at all DK/NA
2
57%
34
7
1
1
44%
43
11
1
50%
36
12
2
43%
40
15
1
1
51%
40
6
3
41%
47
11
1
59%
32
6
2
54%
34
10
1
1
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
Very serious
58%
Smwht serious
36
Not very serious
6
Not a problem at all DK/NA
-
48%
40
9
2
38%
39
18
6
44%
47
7
1
-
62%
27
9
1
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
48%
36
14
1
49%
40
10
2
47%
39
11
1
2
48%
43
7
2
33. In general, how serious a problem do you think - police corruption is in New York
City: a very serious problem, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at
all?
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
Very serious
33%
Smwht serious
40
Not very serious
19
Not a problem at all 3
DK/NA
5
22%
32
38
4
4
36%
43
12
2
6
29%
40
23
4
4
30%
41
22
4
3
36%
38
17
3
7
20%
44
28
4
5
50%
33
10
2
5
47%
32
15
1
4
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
Very serious
45%
Smwht serious
36
Not very serious
12
Not a problem at all 4
DK/NA
4
36%
38
20
1
5
24%
41
21
5
9
34%
39
21
3
3
23%
46
20
5
5
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
38%
35
24
1
2
36%
41
19
2
3
33%
44
16
1
7
29%
36
20
7
8
34. In general, how serious a problem do you think - political corruption is in New York
City: a very serious problem, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not a problem at
all?
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
Very serious
52%
Smwht serious
34
Not very serious
8
Not a problem at all 2
DK/NA
3
61%
23
9
6
45%
40
9
3
3
63%
30
5
1
1
50%
34
11
2
2
54%
34
6
2
4
50%
36
10
1
3
58%
29
6
3
4
56%
35
7
1
1
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
Very serious
65%
Smwht serious
25
Not very serious
5
Not a problem at all 4
DK/NA
-
53%
34
7
1
5
45%
39
10
3
3
47%
37
9
2
4
64%
26
10
-
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
57%
31
8
2
2
54%
35
6
3
2
49%
38
9
1
3
49%
33
10
3
4
6
35. Do you think Mayor de Blasio does favors for developers who make political
contributions to campaigns in which he is involved or don't you think so?
Yes
No
DK/NA
Yes
No
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Wht
Blk
Hsp
55%
21
24
70%
6
24
45%
30
25
67%
13
20
58%
23
19
52%
20
28
64%
14
21
40%
29
31
58%
24
18
AREA.............................
Brnx
Kngs
Man
Qns
StIsl
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
47%
27
26
56%
24
20
52%
21
26
55%
22
23
61%
20
20
58%
16
26
62%
19
19
53%
22
25
52%
24
25
36. (If yes q35) Which of the following statements best describes your view of
de Blasio's actions in these matters: he did something illegal, he did something
unethical, but nothing illegal, or he did not do anything seriously wrong?
IF YES Q35............................
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Illegal
28%
Unethical/Not illegl 54
Not seriously wrong 13
DK/NA
5
45%
46
5
5
13%
62
20
5
39%
48
8
5
36%
48
13
3
20%
60
14
7
7