Poll: Bloomberg Should Go

By New York Times

Despite generally broad approval for the job Michael R. Bloomberg has done as mayor, a majority of New Yorkers say that he does not deserve another term in office and that they would like to give someone else a chance, according to a poll conducted by The New York Times, Cornell University and NY1 News.

With anxiety rising over a difficult economy, few surveyed have a lot of confidence in Mr. Bloomberg’s ability to lead the city out of the recession, a troubling sign for a mayor who cited his financial acumen as the rationale for his undoing of the term limits law that otherwise would have forced him from office.

In addition, some 51 percent say that the city is on the wrong track, while 40 percent say it is going in the right direction.

And though Mr. Bloomberg has sought to elevate his image nationally and internationally as a bold-thinking mayor with a record of innovation and results, more than a third of those polled could not offer any answer when asked what was the best thing Mr. Bloomberg has done since he became mayor almost eight years ago.

Despite the poll’s findings, Mr. Bloomberg maintains tremendous advantages heading into November’s city election. In addition to the powers of incumbency, the mayor has already poured $20 million into the race and has indicated he could spend as much as $100 million to win another term.

His presumptive Democratic opponent in November, the city comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., is largely unknown, with almost three-quarters of respondents saying they have not heard enough about Mr. Thompson to form an opinion, even though he has been a citywide official for the same duration as Mr. Bloomberg.

While New Yorkers have concerns about the economy and the state of the city and they would like to see a new mayor, at the same time they think Mr. Bloomberg has been doing a good job. The latest poll shows that 60 percent of residents approve of Mr. Bloomberg’s job performance, while 34 percent disapprove.