A new poll of San Diego residents shows 80% want new parking fees in Balboa Park eliminated or reduced, and 69% say the new fees will make them visit the park less often.

When told revenue from the fees could help the city avoid budget cuts, the share of residents calling the fees reasonable nearly doubled to 37%. But 51% said parking should be free in Balboa Park even if that requires budget cuts.

The poll of 500 city residents, which was conducted Monday through Wednesday online, comes as pressure increases on city officials to reconsider the fees a little more than two weeks after they were launched on Jan. 5.

Leaders of Balboa Park museums and other organizations say declines in park visits have ranged from 20% to more than 50%, depending on the specific day and attraction.

The poll, which was conducted by Survey USA for The San Diego Union-Tribune and 10News, also shows 74% of city residents think new special event parking fees downtown are too high and that 36% say those fees are prompting them to attend fewer downtown events.

Poll respondents give the city low ratings for its overall handling of parking changes and efforts to keep the public informed about those changes, with 42% calling those efforts poor and only 21% calling them excellent or good.

On Balboa Park paid parking, 57% of respondents said parking should be free in the park and 23% said the fees, which range from $5 to $10 per day for city residents and $8 to $16 for others, are too high.

Criticism of the fees varied significantly by gender, party affiliation and education level.

The share of women who said parking should be free in Balboa Park was 64%, while 51% of men said it should be free. Half of Republicans said it should be free, while 62% of Democrats said the same.

Of those with a four-year college degree, 49% said parking should be free in Balboa Park and 26% called the new fees reasonable. Of those with a high school diploma or less education, 69% said it should be free and only 13% called the fees reasonable.

In addition, 62% of people who rent said parking should be free in the park and 52% of homeowners said the same.

Respondents varied widely on how often they visit the park, with 11% saying they visit once per week, 31% saying once per month, 37% saying a few times a year and 21% saying rarely or never.

Those rates varied by race, age and other factors. For example, 17% of Black respondents said they visit once per week but only 6% of Asian respondents said the same.

Among respondents between age 18 and 34, 17% said they visit once per week. That number dropped to 11% for residents between 35 and 49 and down to 6% for residents age 50 and up.

The poll shows paid parking may reduce how often people visit the park. Of those polled, 69% said the fees will make them visit less often and 22% said the fees won’t make a difference.

Regarding how respondents get around the city, 77% said their primary mode of travel is by a vehicle they own or lease, 13% said mass transit, 2% said rideshare, taxi or walking, and 1% said cycling.

Those numbers shift regarding how residents get to downtown events, with 56% using a vehicle they own or lease, 24% using transit, 13% using rideshare or a taxi and 3% walking.

Regarding the city’s budget problems and who is most responsible for them, 42% said Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council deserve equal blame, 11% said Gloria is most responsible and 7% said the council is most responsible.

Gloria has a higher approval rating than the council among respondents. They approve of his performance at a rate of 46%, with 41% saying they disapprove and 14% saying they are unsure. For the council, 44% approve of its performance, 47% disapprove and 9% are unsure.

Gloria’s approval rating varies dramatically by the age of the respondent. Among those 18 to 34, 57% approve of his performance. Among those 65 and older, only 37% approve.

The council’s ratings vary similarly. Among those 35 to 49, 51% approve of the council’s performance. Among those 65 and older, only 32% approve.