DN/F&M poll: We're pessimistic, but strongly support the Prez

A NEW

Daily News

/Franklin & Marshall poll finds Pennsylvanians apprehensive about the state's economy, but strongly supportive of President Obama.

Seventy percent of those polled said that they were somewhat or very confident in Obama's ability to handle the nation's economic problems.

"It's not unusual in a time of crisis for people to support the president if he's perceived as honest and genuinely trying," said poll director Terry Madonna. "But he has a strong well of support here. People want to believe in him."

Obama's favorability ratings have risen slightly in Pennsylvania since the last Daily News/ F&M taken a month before the November election.

The new poll shows Pennsylvanians in a pessimistic mood, with only 40 percent saying that they feel that things in the state are headed in the right direction, and 49 percent saying that things are on the wrong track.

And while Gov. Rendell's approval numbers are below 50 percent, citizens remain hopeful about his handling of the state's budget mess.

The poll found that 58 percent are somewhat or very confident of Rendell's ability to handle the state's budget problems.

The survey also polled residents on proposals for addressing the state's financial ills.

It finds strong support for programs to attract new businesses, for spending on alternative energy and infrastructure, and for an increase in the cigarette tax.

There's less support for taxes on energy companies and a proposal to permit county governments to increase the sales tax.

By a 58 to 40 percent margin, respondents approve of Rendell's proposal to legalize video poker to fund college-tuition assistance.

Those polled approve of creating a statewide health-benefits system for public-school employees, and oppose eliminating funding for the state's eight public-television stations.

You can find all the poll results at http://go.philly.com/fmpoll.

Meanwhile, a separate poll of 1,600 Philadelphians on quality-of-life issues, conducted by the Pew Trusts Philadelphia Research Initiative, found city residents troubled by crime and the state of city schools.

The poll found crime to be the thing Philadelphians most dislike about city life, and 37 percent said that they feel at least a little unsafe in their neighborhoods at night.

Thirty percent rated the city's schools as excellent or good, including 28 percent of public- school parents.

Although 60 percent said that they thought that city taxes were too high, taxes were rarely mentioned when respondents were asked what might make them leave the city.

You can see the Pew poll at http://go.philly.com/philly poll. *