Monday, April 27, 2020

Siena poll: NYers give Gov. Cuomo high marks

New Yorkers give Gov. Andrew Cuomo record high job performance and favorability ratings. His favorability rating is 77-21 percent, up from 71-23 percent last month, matching his highest ever in February 2011. His job performance rating is 71-28 percent, up from 63-35 percent last month, his best ever.

By a 78-16 percent margin, voters say they trust Cuomo over President Donald Trump to make a determination about opening New York, according to a new Siena College Poll of registered New York State voters released today.

“Mired in middling poll numbers for the last two years, Cuomo is feeling the love from New Yorkers of all stripes
in year three of his third term, and his first global pandemic. He is viewed favorably by 90 percent of Democrats,
73 percent of independents and 53 percent of Republicans, his first time favorable with Republicans in more than
six years,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.

“His 71-28 percent job performance rating this month bests last month’s all-time high, and is up strikingly from a negative 36-63 percent rating just two months ago. “When it comes to whom New Yorkers trust more to make decisions about reopening the state and its economy – the President or the Governor – it’s not even close. Only 16 percent of voters – and only 36 percent of Republicans – trust Trump, compared to 78 percent of all voters – and 56 percent of Republicans – who trust Cuomo. Even self-identified conservatives trust Cuomo more, 57-34 percent,” Greenberg said.

Other findings include:

  • Fifty-one percent of New York residents surveyed say they personally know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and 32 percent, including nearly half of New York City voters, say they know someone who has died as a result of coronavirus.
  • By a 92-8 percent margin, voters support the Governor’s order requiring face masks or coverings in public and by 87-11 percent, they support his decision to extend New York ‘On Pause’ until May 15.
  • Half Say Someone in Household is Working from Home, Who Usually Doesn’t; One-Third Say Someone in Household is Continuing to Work Outside the Home; 32% of New Yorkers Say Someone in Their Household Has Been Laid Off
  • Two-Thirds of NYers Think Large Public Gatherings Unlikely by Summer
  • A Majority of NYers Now Say they Are Not Confident America “Will Be Back to Normal Anytime Soon”

See the full report here: https://files.constantcontact.com/9c83fb30501/5f54ff33-d516-42be-9e8a-86f8a873ca1e.pdf

Related Stories


Community news stories come from press releases and other notices from organizations, businesses, state agencies and other groups. Submit your contributions to Almanack Editor Melissa Hart at editor@adirondackalmanack.com.




28 Responses

  1. MOFYC says:

    Never been a fan of this governor in general but the crisis is illustrating what people look for in leadership. People want leaders to make tough decisions and stand by them. They want leaders to take the slings and arrows inherent in any tough decision. They want leaders who going to be candid, even if it means delivering unpleasant news. They want someone focused on the fixing the problems.They want someone who measures their words carefully because they know the weight of their responsibility. They want a leader who says the buck stops here.

    They don’t want a pathetic crybaby who snivels at any criticism, throws his own people under this, throws words out carelessly and is one permanent temper tantrum.

    • Boreas says:

      I agree. They say there are no atheists in a foxhole. I wish we could say there is no politics in a pandemic.

    • Balian the Cat says:

      I could have written this myself, MOFYC. I felt the same way when W stood atop the wreckage at Ground Zero. It’s possible that I may go back to being less than a fan later, but right now he is leading, providing facts, and comfort.

  2. Robert Gdyk says:

    NY has 22,269 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 as of today. Looking back just a few months ago, there were approximately 63,839 homeless people living on the streets of NYC and eating out of garbage cans – a public health crisis in the making for many years. Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo both have never stepped up with housing solutions at a scale to meet their need. Under normal circumstances, Hart Island averages 1,200 burials a YEAR. These aren’t normal circumstances today, and according to a close friend of mine who’s a correctional officer at Rikers, their inmates are now averaging 1,200 burials a DAY. Nevertheless, NYers give record high job performance and favorability ratings to those responsible for this catastrophe.

    • Sula says:

      According to the Washintgon Post, a private landscaping contractor has been taking care of burials at Hart Island since early April and prison labour is no longer used. The article also says that the average is 120 burials a week. This is also stated by the New York Post, so perhaps your friend may be mistaken.

      • Robert Gdyk says:

        I would definitely believe a first responder on the front lines in this pandemic who also happens to be a close friend of mine before I would of any articles that are outdated. Like I said, these aren’t normal circumstances regarding burials on Hart Island, which I’m told are still under the strict control of NYC DOC.

        • Sula says:

          Sir,

          You posted a very similar letter several weeks ago regarding your close friend’s allegation that 1,200 people a day were being buried at Hart Island. That would make it 6,000 a week, since burials are now being done five days instead on just once a week as was the case before the Covid pandemic. This sounds like an exaggeration. Factual evidence is preferable to hearsay.

          The article in the Washington Post as well as the one from the New York Post was from April 9th, if that is outdated.

          Hart Island is now administered by the New York City Parks Department.

          Is a correctional officer at Rikers Island considered to be a first responder?

          As for DeBlasio, he is a disappointment, to say the least.

            • Steve B says:

              Robert,

              You’re reposting of an earlier doesn’t make either factual.

              You have never stepped up and offered any other facts other than an anecdotal information from somebody you know works at Rikers.

              You could be correct, though I seriously doubt the numbers you claim. I’m certain the homeless population in NYC is suffering terribly and we are not seeing this numbers. Up to sometime last week, NYC did not have a number of the deaths they were taking out of homes, people who might have died alone or whose friends or relatives checked on them. They were not checking these people for CV so they were not being counted in the totals, which at the time were only deaths of people in hospitals or other facilities.

              There will be an accounting after this starts to fade into the background and possibly then when they start to account for the homeless they will take more seriously the need to provide more resources. I’m not seeing that for years though as there’s a lot of things pressing for the money right now.

              • Robert Gdyk says:

                The mass graves (trenches) dug the entire width of Hart Island speaks all to what needs to be said. There will be an accounting, and hopefully, questions why NYC became the coronavirus epicenter of death in the world will eventually be answered.

    • Yes, let’s refrain from making unsubstantiated claims. Thanks!

    • Boreas says:

      Robert,

      How are they “responsible” for the catastrophe? Should healthcare depend on housing? If you don’t HAVE good healthcare, you don’t GET good healthcare. That certainly isn’t a problem specific to NYS. There are a multitude of problems associated with poverty – access to healthcare shouldn’t be one of them. And pandemics are a good reason why.

      • Robert Gdyk says:

        Considering that Mayor de Blasio will only admit to 27 homeless people being among those to have already died so far from COVID-19 in NYC, I need say no more.

        • Boreas says:

          No, you ARE going to need to say more if you are going to go around stating governors and mayors are responsible for pandemics and catastrophes. Back up your allegations or say nothing.

          • Robert Gdyk says:

            Who’s responsible for having their Department of Homeless Services purposely misrepresent the number of homeless deaths in NYC so they won’t match up to the actual number of bodies being currently buried on Hart Island? https://thecity.nyc/2020/04/how-homeless-with-mild-covid-symptoms-died-on-citys-watch.html

            • Boreas says:

              Robert,

              Sorry, I am not seeing any PROOF of purposeful misrepresentation in your link. If that is your opinion, fine. You may even be correct, but until it is investigated properly and we see some facts, don’t present it as fact.

              Unfortunately, there is no standard way of representing CV related deaths around the world. Even within this country, without proper testing and more research into the virus, deaths attributed to CV are at best only an estimate. People across the country have been dying from strokes, heart attacks, and other acute diseases that may actually be attributable to CV but aren’t being counted. With packed ERs and morgues, and limited numbers of coroners to evaluate deaths, how accurate do you think the numbers are? I believe the numbers are low across the board, but I wouldn’t call it purposeful misrepresentation – that is just my opinion.

              The country can’t ignore the homeless when times are good and use them as political fodder during a crisis. Homelessness across the nation is a shameful consequence of our economy and apathy – and our pay-for-service healthcare system and lack of psychiatric services is unavailable to many of them. Cuomo and Deblasio certainly aren’t solely responsible for homelessness in NYS or the tragic results of the pandemic.

              • Robert Gdyk says:

                The number of homeless has climbed nearly every year since de Blasio took office, so if you wouldn’t hold either he or Cuomo responsible for the crisis in NYC, than who else can you – or the tragic results of their deaths during this pandemic? The PROOF was in the photos taken over Hart Island before police confiscated the drones of two photojournalists, who weren’t convinced either with the ridiculously low homeless body count quoted by the Mayor’s spokespersons given the size of the mass graves dug.

                • Boreas says:

                  I do not deny homelessness is constantly climbing. I do not deny the poor and homeless are dying in higher numbers. I do not even deny the high numbers of burials in Potters’ fields (that may or may not be directly related to CV deaths). But none of this is unique to NYS or NYC. Trying to pin the problem on a particular government official or administration is ludicrous. When you hear about federal cuts to Medicare and other types of aid for the poor, those are many people’s life lines. Pay attention to who is cutting those lines – and follow the money.

                  When you have NATIONAL policies in place that boost the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class, the number of homeless grows. When you have NATIONAL policies that guarantee the poor and destitute cannot get adequate healthcare, their death rate will obviously be higher. When you no longer have adequate psychiatric facilities, these people either end up in prison or on the street. This is a systemic, governmental problem throughout the US that is ignored in order to have a “good” economy. There is no such thing as a “good” economy or a “strong” nation when people, including veterans, are dying in the streets – even without a pandemic. If you want to pin this situation on a mayor and a governor, then you also need to include the Trump administration and the federal government, as well as each and every one of us that ignores the problems of poverty every day.

                  • Sula says:

                    Thank you, Boreas, for being a voice of reason.

                  • Robert Gdyk says:

                    You’re forgetting, Cuomo and de Blasio were both in office before President Trump was elected. Also, spending on NYC homeless services has more than doubled while their numbers climbed. Perhaps that’s why Cuomo was facing a $6.1 billion budget deficit in New York before the pandemic outbreak began. He blamed local officials and county staffers for negligently allowing Medicaid costs to skyrocket. He never once assumed responsibility for his $15 minimum wage debacle. Nevertheless, NYers still give him record high job performance and favorability ratings.

                    • Boreas says:

                      Yes, many of us do give the governor good ratings. Perhaps some of us are a little more realistic and realize NYC or NYS do not exist in a vacuum. The problems we have been discussing did not start with Trump or Cuomo, which is why I didn’t point a finger specifically at Trump who you mentioned.

                      The Trump administration has accomplished little other than a tax break for the rich, Medicaid cuts, and rollbacks of Obamacare – none of which helped the indigent and homeless. But the issue of homelessness and poor access to healthcare has been going on for decades. Are you old enough to remember the “Great Society”? I am – and it gets further away every year. I don’t blame presidential or gubernatorial administrations – I blame voters and their apathy WRT the poor and/or homeless. And that won’t change as long as there is big money in politics. As long as every incoming administration feels it has a mandate to undo the previous administration’s actions, the country can never move forward.

                  • JohnL says:

                    Just curious which SPECIFIC National policies you’re talking about that A. ‘boost the wealthy at the expense of the poor’ and 2. ‘GUARANTEE the poor and destitute cannot get adequate healthcare’, You seem to be saying that you can’t have BOTH a good economy for both the rich and the poor. I don’t believe that for a minute.
                    And yes, Boreas, the proverbial ‘they’ ARE blaming the President for all this. So, why not spread the wealth and blame the governors/mayors, etc for it too.

  3. Donald Sage says:

    More lies from the lying fake news media. Cuomo is a dictator, Nazi lover who hates America, our constitution, our bill of rights! Only illegals and criminals like him!

  4. Steve B. says:

    An interesting set of numbers in today’s Newsday, the local rag for Long Island.

    In a period of 7 weeks in March and April of 2019 for Nassau and Suffolk counties, there were 3273 death certificates issued. Same period for 2020 is 6581. There are 2357 “official” CV deaths for Nassau and Suffolk, which if you subtract the “normal” death rates for the region, leaves 951 additional deaths not accounted for by CV and above the regional normal. Likely about a 1/3 increase in CV deaths then what is being reported.

    Is it thus easy to believe some of what Robert is stating, that there are many unreported deaths among the homeless and others with no families, that would be the result of CV ?, Yes. The homeless are much more susceptible to illness of all types, CV just one of the concerns. These people are buried at Hart Island and I can somewhat understand the concerns of the Dept. of Corrections staff that there are many unreported deaths. In theory, the city knows, but (and as stated in a different post) but they are not testing bodies for CV. Thus the actual death toll from CV is higher than what we read, as Newsday reported today.

    Note that Long Island does not have the same high numbers of homeless, thus the death toll from CV in NYC could easily be significant. They’re just not counting and reporting.

    • Robert Gdyk says:

      An interesting set of numbers in the Daily News.
      https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-homeless-deaths-40-20200420-nckj4fvjpjcvjehbmz7rdujbum-story.html
      Looking back just a few months ago, there were approximately 63,839 homeless people in NYC. However, Mayor de Blasio’s Department of Homeless Services reported in this article that only “40 homeless people in New York City have succumbed to coronavirus since the pandemic began.” As of today, Johns Hopkins lists the current number of COVID-19 deaths in New York at 23,477. Therefore, to honestly believe de Blasio’s DHS numbers, any rational person has to then assume that the safest place to be in NYC during this pandemic outbreak would actually be right out on the streets along side the rest of the homeless and eating out of garbage cans, rather than practicing social distancing while in lockdown – which we all know is totally insane.

Wait! Before you go:

Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox