By Philip Newman
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, President Barack Obama, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the MTA and FEMA all get high marks on their performances after Hurricane Sandy struck, according to a poll less kind to the Long Island Power Authority.
The Siena College poll of registered voters gave a mixed review to Consolidated Edison, although it was positive in New York City.
“New Yorkers are very impressed with the job that Gov. Cuomo has done in the last several weeks in dealing with Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath,” said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg.
“Two-thirds say he’s done an excellent or good job, including 70 percent of New York City voters and more than half of Republicans. President Obama and Bloomberg also got high — although not as high — grades from voters.
“The same cannot be said for the downstate power companies, particularly the LIPA.”
Sixty-seven percent of voters said Cuomo did an excellent or good job in dealing with the hurricane and its aftermath, 22 percent said he has done a fair job and 7 percent said a poor job.
Obama had 61 percent saying he has done an excellent or good job, 20 percent fair and 17 percent poor. Bloomberg’s job performance was rated as excellent or good by 55 percent, fair by 24 percent and poor by 14 percent.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority got a 59 excellent or good, 22 percent fair and 7 percent poor rating, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency got a 53 percent rate of excellent or good, 27 percent far and 15 percent poor. Overall in the state Con Ed earned a 39-29-15 rating, although 54 percent gave it high marks in the city vs. 28 percent in the fair category and 13 percent in the poor range..
LIPA got a 20 percent excellent or good, 20 percent fair and a 47 percent grade throughout the state, although it was 16 percent in the top category, 21 in the fair range and 60 percent in the cellar in Long Island.
“At least 63 percent of voters from every region — including two-thirds of upstaters and three-quarters of those in New York City — say the severe storms over the last two years demonstrate global climate change rather than isolated weather events,” Greenberg said.
“More than two-thirds of independents feel that way, as do more than eight in 10 Democrats. Republicans are nearly evenly divided on that issue,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg said more than half of New Yorkers, regardless of political party, say they have contributed to Sandy relief charitable efforts, including 49 percent upstate, 54 percent from New York City and 61 percent from downstate suburbs.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at timesledgernews@cnglocal.com or phone at 718-260-4536.
