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Poll: Most Voters Waiting To See About Scott
February 3, 2011
One month after Rick Scott got to work as Florida’s governor, a plurality of voters in the state say they haven’t yet decided how they feel about him.
In a survey conducted by Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University, 35 percent said they approved of Scott’s performance as governor so far, but 43 percent said they were not sure yet. Another 22 percent said they disapproved. The university surveyed 1,160 registered voters.
Noting that Scott’s first approval ratings were lower than his predecessor’s early numbers, Quinnipiac University Polling Director Peter Brown attributed the difference to Scott’s newness to the Florida political scene.
“Before nine months ago, he wasn’t exactly a household name,” Brown said. “Other than what people learned about him from the campaign, which is that he’s not from Tallahassee, he was a Republican in a very Republican year and that there were questions about what went on at Columbia/HCA, there is not very much info about him.”
Four years ago, when Quinnipiac first surveyed Crist’s approval ratings, 69 percent responded favorably. But this is a very different time, and an equally different governor, Brown said.
“In 2006, things were good. Now, they’re not so good,” he said. “They’re difficult to compare because the times are so different, how these people got elected governor is so different and they’re such different types of Republicans.”
The Quinnipiac Poll showed voters have begun forming opinions about Scott’s proposals however, and thus far, the results are mixed. Sixty-four percent said they support his plan to make state workers contribute to their pension plans, but 46 percent said his plan to cut the state workforce was a “bad idea.”
Additionally, 50 percent of voters said Scott’s plan to cut property and business taxes was a good idea, while 56 percent said that increasing gambling in Florida to bring in more revenue for the cash-strapped state is a good idea.
Brown said that though they seemed contradictory, the numbers on the questions involving state workers made sense.
“Most people contribute to their pensions in their jobs, so people can identify with that, but people don’t want to see anyone laid off,” he said. “In this economy, people don’t want to see anyone lose their jobs.”
The Quinnipiac poll also showed that for all the coverage of Scott’s dealings with the media, voters by a substantial margin think the governor is accessible enough. The poll found that 58 percent said the governor’s level of accessibility was “about right,” and only 22 percent think he is not accessible enough. Six percent said he was too available, and another 14 either didn’t know or didn’t have an opinion.
Scott’s pledge to take only $1 of salary for his job as governor has also been popular, with 53 percent of those polls saying the move made them more inclined to view him favorably.
Brown said the high number of voters that are undecided about Scott gives him an opportunity to bring those residents to his side once he begins implementing his agenda, which includes a much-hyped promise of 700,000 jobs over the next seven years.
“The lesson of the last governor showed what really matters is job approval ratings at the end of the term, not job approval ratings in the beginning of a term,” he said.
Asked for a reaction to the numbers, Scott said he had not seen the Quinnipiac poll – and didn’t seem much interested in it.
“I ran on a platform of getting our state back to work, the real key is getting our state back to work, so that’s what I work on every day,” Scott said.
By Keith Laing
The News Service Florida
Comments
7 Responses to “Poll: Most Voters Waiting To See About Scott”
Previously stated by….
Finally….
A Republican who advertised himself as “fiscally responsible” who is actually fiscally responsible. About time we pulled back on these exorbinant state employee salaries and retirement plans.
Our military men and women sacrifice far more and receive much less. Let’s reward those who do, rather than those who sit home and watch.
So what has he cut? Until he actually does some balancing it’s a bit early to hop on the wagon. As for cutting state employees, it’s quite probably correct that some of that needs to be done. But I’m with WEAR on this. Let’s cut the big boys as well. I can envision a state agency cut to half the budget they had formerly while not performing any public service because all that’s left are upper management and political cronies, while the folks that do the work are all gone.
Here is a good video of Scott lying
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aswXRar9GZ8
“Finally….
A Republican who advertised himself as “fiscally responsible” who is actually fiscally responsible. About time we pulled back on these exorbinant state employee salaries and retirement plans.
Our military men and women sacrifice far more and receive much less. Let’s reward those who do, rather than those who sit home and watch.”
Your kidding right.. The only reason people take these state and local government jobs is for the benefits and retirement. These jobs dont pay enough to take without a decent retirement plan. Would you want to ride in an ambulance saving peoples lives,being subjected to blood,diseases,hiv,physical labor for 13 bucks an hour without the promise of a decent retirement? Would you put your life on the line everyday and night as a deputy for 15 bucks an hour without he promise of a decent retirement? Would you work Thanksgiving,and Christmas away from your family to be locked in a jail or prison with scumbags who hate you,cuss you,and threaten you and your family when they get out for 15 bucks an hour? After 25-30 years of any of these jobs,working rotating shifts,working nights, dealing with the mental and physical stress of these jobs that others will not do, a lot of these people do not even reap the benefits of retirement after high blood pressure,heart attacks, and strokes. Before you open your mouth step into the boots of these people. I agree we need to cut .gov spending federally,state,and local. But these cuts need to start at the top….a part time job as a county commissioner pays almost 3 times as much a year than any EMS,DOC,FHP,ECSO,ECRP,or ECFD job. Start at the top and leave the boots on the ground that get the job done alone.
Finally….
A Republican who advertised himself as “fiscally responsible” who is actually fiscally responsible. About time we pulled back on these exorbinant state employee salaries and retirement plans.
Our military men and women sacrifice far more and receive much less. Let’s reward those who do, rather than those who sit home and watch.
im giving our governer optimistic credit for being creative … there is no doubt that he can not please everyone in his attempt to get our state back on solid ecomomic ground….we all have to be prepared to “share the pain”, in some form or another, in order to strengthen our state AND national economy….it is inevitable!….smart families must begin to think out of the box, in order to sustain themselves for the future…waiting for and expecting the government to keep you afloat is foolish thinking….perhaps a job/educational event, such as what the local high schoolers are about to attend, would be beneficial for this area- every 6 months, or so….but, i especially like the fact that gov scott has pledged NOT to take a salary for his job as governor…(ok, one dollar)…..would charlie have done the same?…i think not.
Same O Same O — Hot shot not know politicians come on the scene and start swapping pockets with state received funds and fooling Florida residents into thinking he is doing them good and before it is all over We the residents lose. Example–Our Mr. Chris doing the Same O Same O actually won the election on the promis of tax relief on our reality property by passing a law allowing another $25,000.00 for homestead exemption. All this did for the residents was to see every agency in the state to either double or quadruple their fees while giving the excuse of budget cuts mainly from the passage of the extra homestead exemption. LOL . And at the same time loosing Schools, Court House Agency and other services. Again LOL………….
He ran on the platform of getting our state back to work, that why he’s doing away with so many job?????