June Wed, 2002

VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT IN NEW JERSEY GO NEGATIVE: But Residents Don’t See Anything Better Out There

Residents are divided over the quality of government in New Jersey, and more than eight in ten say there is at least some political corruption in the state. Currently, 51 percent of New Jerseyans rate the quality of government here as “only fair” or “poor,” while 47 percent say it is “excellent” or “good” according to the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers Poll. Positive sentiments have decreased over the past year – in April 2001, 54 percent of residents rated the quality of government in New Jersey as “good” or “excellent.”

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June Sun, 2002

NEW JERSEY E-ZPASS – THOSE WHO USE IT LOVE IT: But Budget Problems are Taking Their Toll

With E-ZPass in New Jersey, familiarity breeds satisfaction. Garden State drivers with E-ZPass view the system as a big success, both in general and in their own experiences. More than three-quarters of E-ZPass drivers classify the system as a success, and nearly as many say they are “very satisfied” with the way E-ZPass has worked for them personally. At the same time, however, drivers who do not use E-ZPass are more likely to dub the system a failure.

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June Wed, 2002

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CRISIS: New Jersey Residents Blame Church Leaders

The Catholic Bishop’s conference in Texas last week may have come just in time, as the image of the Catholic Church has suffered in New Jersey as a result of recentcharges of child sexualabuse by Catholic priests, and theway the Church handled them.In a Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers Poll conducted before the Bishop’s conference, half of residents– both Catholic and non-Catholic – said they viewed the Church less favorably as a result of thesexual abuse scandal.

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June Sun, 2002

McGREEVEY’S BUDGET WOES: Residents Want Service Cuts, But Not In Social Programs

Governor James McGreevey gets positive job marks overall from Garden State residents, but views of his handling of the state’s budget problems have worsened over the past three months as the projected budget deficit has grown. Currently residents are divided over McGreevey’s efforts to deal with the budget – 35 percent approve of the job he is doing on the budget while 35 percent disapprove.

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