Statewide Poll Finds NJ Voters Favor Ballot Proposals

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.