This is a re-post from the Daily Politics. 0% of voters polled would give the legislature an “A” for their budget work and an overwhelming number of voters give them a failing grade. I guess summer school is in order then. Maybe they should get back to Albany and re-take this class. The poll also gives Democrats a huge advantage in the upcoming statewide elections. Today is filling day so I expect we will be seeing who’s been doing the fundraising work.

Siena: Voters Give Legislators A Big Fat “F” On State Budget Work »
BY CELESTE KATZ

Here’s the latest from the Siena Research Institute:

“Nearly half of New Yorkers give the State Legislature an “F” for its work on the state budget this year, while about one-quarter say Governor David Paterson deserves a failing grade, according to a Siena College poll of registered New York voters released today. The Governor is supported by about half of voters for his vetoes of legislative member items, but strongly opposed on his veto of additional education spending.”

“Voters are not impressed – to say the least – with state leaders’ handling of this year’s budget. Forty-seven percent of voters say the Legislature deserves a failing grade, with another 24 percent grading its effort as a ‘D.’ Fewer than one percent gave the Legislature an ‘A’ and only seven percent offered a ‘B.’ If your children came home from college with a grade point average of less than 1.0 you might think about not paying for them to go back to school the next semester,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg. “Will voters return legislators to Albany this November after flunking them for their most important job? It’s going to be a fascinating election to watch.”

Some other highlights for you:

* Andrew Cuomo leads Rick Lazio 60-28%, down from 60-24% in June. Cuomo’s lead over Paladino rose to 64-23% , up from 60-23%.

*In a three-way race, Cuomo garners 54% to Lazio’s 23% and 10% for Paladino. In a Republican Party primary, Lazio’s lead over Paladino fell to 40-20%, down from 45-18% last month, although 40% of Republicans remain undecided.

* By a margin of 61-25% , voters have an unfavorable view of the New York State Assembly. Things are even worse for the State Senate, with an identical 25% favorable rating and a 66% unfavorable rating.

* Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has a two-to-one negative favorability rating, 20-40 percent and Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson is unknown to 83% of voters.

* Voters, by a margin of 54-36%, support giving SUNY greater flexibility on how much tuition they charge. Support is much stronger upstate than in New York City.

* About 34% percent want to see a larger majority for the Democrats in the state Senate; 26% want to see the GOP retake control and 35% of voters, including a plurality of independent voters, want to see the Senate continue to be closely divided.

* Comptroller Tom DiNapoli leads GOP challenger Harry Wilson 48-24% , up from 42-23 percent in June. DiNapoli is still unknown to nearly two-thirds of voters and Wilson is unknown to 85%.

* Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand leads Bruce Blakeman 51-28%, Joseph DioGuardi 51-29% and David Malpass 50-27%. In a GOP primary match-up, it’s 24% DioGuardi, 7% Blakeman and 5% Malpass with 64% of Republicans undecided.

* Gary Berntsen and Jay Townsend, who both want to unseat Sen. Chuck Schumer, remain unknown to at least 80% of all voters and Republicans. Schumer has a 60-28% favorability rating and 55% percent of voters say they are prepared to re-elect him.

* President Obama is viewed favorably by 60% of voters and unfavorably by 37%, the largest percentage ever in a Siena College poll.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/07/siena-voters-give-legislators.html#more#ixzz0tlUzXxqK