New Brunswick and Madison, New Jersey (Apr. 3, 2019) – New Jerseyans largely support Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed millionaires tax, but expressed mixed views about the governor’s overall performance, according to the first poll in a partnership between the polling bodies at Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Seven in ten New Jerseyans strongly (46 percent) or somewhat (26 percent) support raising taxes on households making more than $1 million annually. Just 14 percent each either strongly or somewhat oppose the proposed legislation, according to the joint Rutgers-Eagleton Poll and FDU Poll.

“Support is just as strong for a millionaires tax as it was a year and a half ago,” said Ashley Koning, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “This may change as more details are released and as the proposal plays out in the Legislature in the coming months, but as of now, this could be the major win that Murphy needs – at least in the public’s eyes.”

After more than a year in office, Murphy himself remains largely undefined in the minds of New Jersey voters. Half (50 percent) believe he hasn’t yet made any significant accomplishments. More approve (52 percent) than disapprove (43 percent) of his job performance, but support is not overwhelming. In fact, disapproval has increased by double digits since last fall (see prior Rutgers-Eagleton and FDU polls).

“These numbers are similar to both of his most recent predecessors, Governors Chris Christie and Jon Corzine at a similar time in their administrations. One went on to a second term, while the other was defeated two years later,” said Krista Jenkins, professor of government at Fairleigh Dickinson University and director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll.

Approval of how the governor is handling key issues is also mixed. He receives his lowest approvals on taxes and the state pension fund and his highest – and only majority – approval on weather-related emergencies.

In this poll, 1,203 adults were contacted between March 7 and 22, 2019, 621 of which were contacted by live callers on both landlines and cell phones and 582 through an online probability-based panel. The combined sample has a margin of error of +/-3.7 percentage points. Interviews were done in English and, when requested, Spanish. The full analysis, along with the poll’s questions and tables, can be found on the Rutgers-Eagleton Pollwebsite and the FDU Poll website.