FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Results from a new poll by Sacred Heart University’s Institute for Public Policy, conducted in collaboration with the Hartford Courant, shows many Connecticut residents believe their quality of life remained either “excellent” (19.8 percent) or “good” (40.6 percent), but more than half of residents surveyed (58.7 percent) believe it is “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to maintain their standard of living. Their top-reported reasons for this difficulty included increases in state taxes, rising utilities and fuel costs such as electric, gas and oil, and overall increases in the cost of general goods.
The comprehensive, 33-question telephone and online survey of 1,000 Connecticut residents was conducted between May 10 and May 23.
Final budget debates examining sales taxes and other potential sources of new income rounded out the legislative session, which ended June 5. But residents clearly are concerned that living in the state is getting more expensive and are worried about increasing costs and their ability to sustain their quality of life. Residents earning less than $50,000 annually are particularly nervous about their future in Connecticut, but these worries cut across all earnings levels. The state budget passed by the Connecticut General Assembly on Tuesday does little to address these concerns and will likely exacerbate them as it includes sales and excise taxes on a host of consumer goods.
Poll results show that 50.8 percent of residents earning $50,000 or less report their quality of life is either “fair” (38.1 percent) or “poor” (12.7 percent) compared to only 23.1 percent of residents earning $150,000 or more. At the same time, 33.7 percent of residents earning $150,000 or more report their quality of life in Connecticut is declining, and 38.8 percent of residents ages 45-64 also report their quality of life in Connecticut is declining.
Connecticut residents also weighed in on a host of legislative measures including the legalization of recreational marijuana. However, after some early initial successes as the measure passed several key committees, it did not come before the full legislature for a vote during this session. Governor Ned Lamont indicated his support for legalization during his candidacy, and the poll indicates that many residents (59 percent) believe the potential tax revenue from sales of these products can potentially help bolster state finances.
On a related note, more than two-thirds (69.1 percent) of Connecticut residents surveyed “strongly” (50.3 percent) or “somewhat” (18.8 percent) support the state legislature’s proposal of expunging the records of individuals with convictions for low-level marijuana-related offenses. In addition, 57.3 percent of survey respondents favor having the majority of revenue from recreational marijuana sales be directed to urban areas and cities that have been disproportionally affected by the costs of drug-enforcement measures.
Other key findings from the SHU Polling Institute/Hartford Courant survey include:
- High levels of support (70.2 percent) exist for raising the state income tax on individuals earning $500,000 or couples earning $1 million. Additionally, two-thirds of residents (66.5 percent) reported to “strongly” (43.4 percent) or “somewhat” (23.1 percent) support the implementation of a 2 percent tax on the investment earnings of single filers earning $500,000 or more and couples earning $1 million or more
- 50.5 percent report they would prefer if Connecticut worked to close the current budget deficit by reducing spending as opposed to raising taxes, which is only supported by 4.1 percent of those polled
- Regarding Governor Lamont’s campaign promises, 84.5 percent of respondents reported it is important to them, as voters, that the Governor keeps his promise that, if elected, he would not raise income or sales taxes
- Connecticut residents continue to oppose electronic tolls on the state’s highways (58.8 percent). In addition, 51.3 percent of those who support tolls largely do so with the provision that money collected go into a transportation “lockbox” account to be used only for road and bridge improvements and infrastructure repairs, per a state referendum passed last year
“Taxes, quality-of life-issues and the high cost of living in Connecticut continue to dominate poll results,” said Lesley DeNardis, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy and director of Sacred Heart University’s master of public administration program. “Residents are looking for tax relief and are turning to state legislators to find solutions that won’t further hurt their pocketbooks. The state budget passed by the Connecticut General Assembly this week will likely exacerbate these concerns by raising sales and excise taxes as well as lifting the sales tax exemption on previously excluded goods and services.”
Sacred Heart’s Institute for Public Policy, which was established in 2017 in the College of Arts and Sciences, is aligned with the University’s new master of public administration program. In addition to hosting state-wide polls, the institute conducts public policy research, hosts public forums and workshops and serves as a public-policy learning incubator for students.
A PDF file of complete polling results is available at www.sacredheart.edu/pollresults.
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About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus, which is located about an hour from Manhattan and 2.5 hours from Boston. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland. More than 8,500 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business; Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time develops students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives and professions and in their communities. A spirit of service, entrepreneurship and social justice is the essence of who we are and can be seen inside and outside the classroom as students learn how to make a difference far beyond Fairfield. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 384 Colleges–2019 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 267 Business Schools–2018 Edition. It also placed SHU on its lists for “Happiest Students” and “Most Engaged in Community Service,” each of which comprises only 20 U.S. schools. Sacred Heart has a Division I athletics program. www.sacredheart.edu
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About GreatBlue Research, Inc.
GreatBlue provides reliable, actionable research and analytics to help organizations identify, address and improve their understanding of key constituents. With more than 40 years of experience in market research for diverse markets, GreatBlue effectively harnesses this knowledge to correlate general attitudes and perceptions with behavioral trends to provide its clients with a roadmap for success. GreatBlue Research is located in Glastonbury, Conn. Visit them online at www.greatblueresearch.com, or call 860/740-4000.