ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Governor Kathy Hochul is starting the new year in a strong place with voters.
In a new Siena College Research Institute poll released Monday, new data shows that the governor has her highest ever job approval rating at 56 percent.
“Kicking off the 2023 legislative session with her first State of the State address, chock full of proposals that have strong voter support, Hochul sees her job approval rating hit its highest level, jumping from a positive five points last month to a 20-point positive approval rating today. The jump – despite continued strong partisan divide – is largely thanks to independent and downstate voters,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
“More than three-quarters of Democrats approve of the job she’s doing, while more than three-quarters of Republicans disapprove. A small plurality of independents, 47-43%, approve, after a majority disapproved last month,” Greenberg said.
There's also notable widespread support for a number of the governor's proposals from the state of the state address.
Eighty five percent of people polled support not raising state income taxes this year.
When it comes to not raising state income taxes this year, voters overwhelmingly agree with Hochul, with no difference among Democrats, Republicans and independents. And strong majorities of voters of every partisan persuasion support three of her other proposals: guaranteeing state employees up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, basing the minimum wage on the inflation rate, and giving judges more discretion to set bail for offenders accused of serious crimes,” Greenberg said.
Seventy six percent support basing New York's minimum wage increases on the rate of inflation.
On the other end, 62 percent of people oppose a plan to allow SUNY schools to raise tuition.
“Partisans also agree – though Democrats not as much – in their opposition to Hochul’s proposal to allow SUNY schools to increase tuition,” Greenberg said. “Two other Hochul proposals enjoy strong overall support, despite Republican opposition – a majority on CAP and INVEST, and a plurality on a state ERA.”
You can read the full poll results here.