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 "New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is having a honeymoon," said
Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University poll released
on Thursday.
Two thirds of New York City voters expect good things from de
Blasio, who took over on January 1 after the exit of three-term
mayor Michael Bloomberg, and just over half approve of the job de
Blasio has done so far.
But de Blasio's plan to do away with horse-and-buggy rides — a
beloved and time-honored tourist tradition that has also drawn the
ire of animal welfare groups — does not sit well with a majority of
New Yorkers. While de Blasio has described the ban as a priority,
six in 10 New York voters are against it.
De Blasio has long argued that hansom cab rides are inhumane, while
some see it as bowing to the city's animal rights lobby, which
launched a ferocious challenge to a mayoral candidate who opposed
the ban.
Nevertheless, it is expected to be included in a City Council bill
this month, with supporters saying they are confident it will pass,
while representatives of the carriage industry are expecting the
issue to end up in court.
Nearly seven in 10 New Yorkers back one of de Blasio's signature
proposals: increasing income tax on the city's top earners to pay
for pre-kindergarten and after-school programs.
The power to raise taxes lies with state lawmakers and Governor
Andrew Cuomo, who favors tax cuts, and the proposal faces an uphill
battle in Albany.
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Opinions are divided over the role of de Blasio's wife, Chirlane
McCray, whom he describes as his most important adviser. McCray was
a frequent presence on the campaign trail and the couple's bi-racial
children were featured in TV ads.
About a quarter of voters say the city's first lady should have a
major role in shaping policy, while 36 percent believe she should
play only a minor role and 30 percent say she should have no role.
The survey of 1,288 New York City voters was conducted from January
9 to January 15, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7
percentage points.
(Reporting by Edith Honan; editing by Gunna Dickson)
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