New York (WRGB) — New York voters statewide support letting New York City raise income taxes on residents earning at least $1 million, according to a new Siena Poll of registered voters released today.

By a 54-29% margin, voters said they support the governor and Legislature allowing the city to increase personal income taxes on millionaires, a proposal from Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Support was strongest among New York City voters, 62-21%, and Democrats statewide, 72-13%. The proposal drew more mixed support in the downstate suburbs, 50-32%, and upstate, 48-35%. Independents leaned toward opposition, 40-37%, and Republicans opposed it 51-36%.

Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said,

As we enter budget month for the state, neither Hochul nor either house of the Legislature has indicated public support for Mamdani’s request to allow New York City to raise personal income taxes on City residents earning at least $1 million. Yet, the public is on Mamdani’s side, as the proposal is supported 54-29% among all voters statewide, and it has support from 62% of City voters and 72% of statewide Democrats. While Republicans disagree, voters overall prefer New York City raise income taxes on its millionaires, rather than raise property taxes on all New York City property owners, Mamdani’s stated position.

The poll also found Gov. Kathy Hochul continues to lead Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in a potential matchup, though her advantage narrowed since January. Hochul led Blakeman 51-31%, a 20-point margin, down from 54-28% in January.

Hochul’s favorability rating was 46-42%, down from 49-40% in January, while her job approval rating was 53-41%, virtually unchanged from 54-41% in January. Blakeman’s favorability rating was 21-18%, up from 18-20% in January, though 61% of New Yorkers said they have either never heard of him or have no opinion. Mamdani’s favorability rating was 47-35%, down from 48-32% in January.

Greenberg said,

Democrats still outnumber Republicans more than two-to-one, so it’s not surprising to see Hochul continue to maintain a large double digit lead over Blakeman, although it’s tightened a little bit in the last month. What was a 25-point lead in December and a 26-point lead in January is now a 20-point lead, largely due to Republicans coming home to Blakeman, and the race tightening among men – Hochul had led by 22 points and now leads by four – and in the downstate suburbs, where she led by 14 points and now leads by two points.Hochul’s favorability rating fell a few points from its high in January but is still in positive territory, albeit not by very much. Her job approval rating barely moved and remains positive – well, at least among Democrats. As for Blakeman, there are less than 250 days until election day and he has a lot of voters to educate. Only two in five voters know enough about him to say whether they view him favorably or unfavorably – and they’re closely divided. The majority, 61%, have either never heard of Blakeman or don’t know enough about him to have an opinion.

The poll also tested voter agreement with six quotes, three from Hochul and three from Blakeman, without telling respondents who said them.

The Hochul quotes were:

“It is time that we cut the red tape that too often slows down projects and let communities build, so we can offer all New Yorkers the more affordable and livable state that they deserve.””You can make historic investments without raising income taxes, without mortgaging the next generations, and without losing sight of what people can afford.””When individuals enter this country illegally and commit crimes, I want them arrested and tried. If they’re convicted, they must be imprisoned and deported.”

The Blakeman quotes were:

“It’s grocery bills, utility costs, rent, property taxes, and paychecks that don’t go far enough. Families don’t need more rhetoric – they need results.”“Hardworking New Yorkers shouldn’t have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table. We need to take advantage of the natural resources we have and lower utility costs.”“I will stand with our police, not against them. I will fight to keep violent criminals and cop-killers behind bars, because the safety of our children and neighborhoods demands it.”

Greenberg said,

Between 71% and 79% of voters agreed with each of the three Hochul quotes, including between 68% and 90% of Republicans, while between 77% and 88% of all voters agreed with each of the three Blakeman quotes, including between 67% and 87% of Democrats. Between 70% and 90% of independents agreed with all six quotes.Maybe – just maybe – voters don’t really disagree as much as it appears that they do. Maybe the divisions in our politics are more related to the ideological and media silos that voters place themselves in, rather than the actual words and promises from the candidates.

On President Donald Trump, the poll found his favorability rating in New York was 35-60%, up from 33-63% in January, and his job approval rating was 36-61%, up from 34-63% in January.

Voters were evenly split on Trump’s performance on securing the country’s borders, with 49% saying he has done an excellent or good job and 49% saying he has done only a fair or poor job, Greenberg said. But the poll found weaker ratings on other issues, including lowering the cost of living.

Greenberg said,

Worst of all for Trump is the grade he gets from New Yorkers on lowering the cost of living. Only 8% give him an excellent grade and 11% good, while 17% say fair and a whopping 60% say poor.

Greenberg said only 49% of Republicans gave Trump a positive grade on lowering the cost of living, while 91% of Democrats and 76% of independents gave him a negative grade.

Other findings in the poll included:

Democrats led on the generic congressional ballot, 53-32%, though the margin narrowed since January, when Democrats led 56-29%. The poll found 81% of Democrats supported a Democrat for Congress, 86% of Republicans supported a Republican, and independents favored Democrats 38-31%, down from 46-29% in January.Support increased for “deporting immigrants illegally living in the US,” rising to 49-29% from 43-35% in January. The poll found support among Republicans rose to 85% from 70%, and among independents to 56% from 45%. Support among Democrats was 30%, little changed from 29% in January.The poll also found New York’s legislative leaders remained largely unknown to voters. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins had a 17-13% favorability rating, with 70% saying they either never heard of her or did not know enough to have an opinion. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie had a 13-11% favorability rating, with 75% saying they did not know enough or had no opinion.