Statewide Poll Finds NJ Voters Favor Ballot Proposals
The Stockton Polling Institute finds voters favor initiatives on higher education and pay to judges.
A majority of likely voters throughout the state favor the Building our Future Bond Act, according to the results of the Stockton Polling Institute’s first statewide survey, released last week by the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Results indicate 72 percent of likely voters are in favor of the act, which is “Public Question No. 1” on the November ballot. Those results show 21 percent oppose the question, and 8 percent are not sure, don’t know or refused to answer.
The Building our Future Bond Act proposes allowing the state to issue bonds in the principal amount of $750 million. The proceeds from those bonds will be used to provide higher education grants to the state’s public and private colleges and universities to construct and equip higher education buildings to increase academic capacity, according to votesmart.org.
Those institutions receiving grants would be required to provide funds to support 25 percent of the project, according to votesmart.org.
According to votesmart.org, bond proceeds would be allocated in the following ways:
- $300 million for public research universities;
- $247.5 million for State colleges and other State universities;
- $150 million for county colleges; and
- $52.5 million for private institutions with an endowment of $1 billion or less.
“Certainly opinions can change, but with the less than three weeks to election day, likely New Jersey voters have expressed their strong support for the higher education bond act,” William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Director Daniel J. Douglas said.
Voters are also in favor of an amendment concerning judicial pay, according to the poll. The State Supreme Court recently ruled that sitting judges are exempt from a new law requiring public workers to contribute more of their income to their pensions. They said the constitution forbids cutting their salary, but the amendment on the ballot clarifies that the State Legislature can increase the benefit payments and the pension of judges, according to nj.com.
The question allowing the changes in compensation for the judges is favored by 62 percent of voters, with 30 percent opposed and 9 percent not sure, don’t know or refused to answer.
The poll was conducted of 811 likely voters statewide from Oct. 12-18, according to the college.
The poll was conducted via both cell phone and landline, and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent, the college said. Those conducting the polls called from the Stockton College campus, the college said. All households on the source calling list have the same opportunity of being called because of the random digital dialing system (RDD).
Since its unveiling, this is the third poll the Stockton Polling Institute released. The first two concerned District 2 and District 3 races.
Ronald Portz
11:51 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
I think we should have a vote to determine a list of priorities that has to be done to keep this state from becoming a welfare one. We cannot rely on the State government to do the right thing. They seem to only want to put us in debt for special project of their own and not for the good of all the people. This higher education vote may not make the list if we put that to a vote. Education is too expensive and ways must be found to make it useful to all and not just a few pompous educators and their cronies.
Mac
12:21 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Another election. Another 'feel-good' bond issue. Another opportunity to demonstrate for our elected leaders just how serious we are about our demands for lower taxes, not to mention more accountability in government. Of course, the pain of turning over another three quarters of a billion dollars for our elected officials to divvy up amongst their favorite political contractors will be greatly comforted by getting those authoritative judges to pay for some of their workplace benefits that have always been part of the job up until now. Remember when you got those 400 toll collectors tagged with a 20% reduction in pay? How did that work out for you in tolls cost savings? Bonding issues would mostly be unnecessary if the bonding money being sought is rightfully coming out of the general fund. Take all the elected and appointed officials (both full and part time) out of the same benefit programs the public workers are enrolled into and the lack of personal self-interest will remarkably reduce the costs of benefits immediately. How can anyone be expected to be unbiased in making decisions on benefits programs that directly affect themselves and their families?