Siena poll: Voters back Hochul policy issues, but still irked by late state budget

ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul has bipartisan support for her policy issues that have delayed a deal on a state budget that was due April 1, but New York voters are still irked by another late spending plan, according to a poll released Tuesday.

The issues involving criminal justice and a ban on student cellphones in schools are the primary reason for the protracted negotiations, all sides agreed. With no budget deal imminent, the State Legislature on Tuesday is scheduled to pass another emergency spending measure to keep state government operating.

Tuesday’s Siena College Research Institute poll found:

Voters 61% to 19% supported restricting smartphone use throughout the entire school day to reduce distractions and disruption of instruction, That included identical support among Democrats and 62% to 18% support among Republicans, Voters 43% to 24% supported Hochul's proposal to amend a 2019 law that was created to prohibit prosecutors from withholding evidence during the discovery phase of a criminal trial, Hochul and prosecutors said the law has resulted in cases being dismissed over minor mistakes, although opponents say the change would give too much authority to prosecutors, Democrats 47% to 21% supported the proposal, while Republicans supported it by 41% to 31%, Voters 45% to 31% supported making it easier for police to order people they believe are mentally ill into mandated psychiatric evaluations, Democrats supported the measure 42% to 34% while Republicans backed it 51% to 24%, Voters 64% to 24% supported banning masks in public when used to threaten or harass someone, Democrats supported the proposal 60% to 26% and Republicans supported it 70% to 20%,.

Hochul has refused to strike a budget deal with legislative leaders until she gets her way on the discovery issue, but legislators said negotiations over her other thorny issues also have delayed a deal on a budget, which is expected to exceed $252 billion. The poll found 31% of voters are “very concerned” and another 41% are “somewhat concerned” that the budget is late.

The increasingly uncommon bipartisan support of policy issues from Albany has helped Hochul continue a slow climb from low polling numbers.

Hochul’s favorability rating rose to 44% from 43% in March, which although a statistical tie is the highest rating for the governor since January 2024. The rating compares with the March poll in which 50% of those polled gave her an unfavorable rating compared with 40% who gave her a favorable rating.

Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said Hochul improved her favorability by gains among upstate voters, women and independent voters not enrolled in a party.

Hochul faces re-election next year.

The poll questioned 802 registered voters from April 14 to Wednesday. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.