Marylanders strongly favor tougher emissions standards for new cars and a statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, according to a new statewide poll conducted in the past week.
The telephone poll of 809 registered voters in Maryland completed on Sunday also found even stronger support for Gov. Martin O?Malley?s plan to funnel $400 million into school construction projects in the coming year. This also reflects the fact that voters said education was the second most important issue in the state, after health care costs and access.
The survey by Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies found far less overwhelming support for bringing slot machines into the state. Statewide, 53 percent of voters favor allowing slots at Maryland racetracks. But a majority of people in the Washington suburbs, 52 percent, oppose slot machines, and black voters are almost evenly divided, with 46 percent favoring and 45 percent opposed.
The survey has a margin of error of 3.5 percent, higher than that for subgroups and regions.
The poll, which is provided free to media outlets, also found that half of state voters had a favorable opinion of O?Malley, and about a quarter were neutral and another quarter unfavorable, what pollster Patrick Gonzales called “a decent standing.”
“With the contentious election over, and having the leaders in the General Assembly belonging to the same party, O?Malley is well situated to build on his position with voters as his tenure evolves.” Gonzales said in his analysis.
Tougher emission standards, a smoking ban and school construction are already issues moving through the General Assembly. Almost three quarters ? 74 percent ? support the proposed clean car bill. “The devil?s in the details,” Gonzales said, “but the initiative starts out with a strong footing.” It is supported by voters of both parties and all regions.
The same is true of the smoking ban covering all bars and restaurants, where 70 percent statewide are in favor. School construction funding has the support of 81 percent.
Bringing in slots remains “controversial,” but slightly less so than a year or two ago, when only 49 percent of voters supported the proposal, Gonzales noted. In the 10 polls he?s done on the issue since 2002, the highest number to support slots was 57 percent in August 2003.
