Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Pennsylvanians back the idea of selling the state's liquor stores to help balance the state budget, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today, and one local lawmaker says he’s willing to look into the plan. State Representative Marty Causer says the selling of the liquor stores is a policy issue he thinks the House has to consider. “I am very willing to take a look at it,” Causer said. “I think with the budget situation we have, and under our current climate, it might be just the right time to consider it.” Selling state-owned liquor stores has the most support among various ideas tested by Quinnipiac, with support pretty much across party lines. The idea is backed by 68 percent of Republicans, 70 percent of independents and 63 percent of Democrats. Given four choices on how to solve the state’s budget problem, 54 percent of the people polled supported selling the liquor stores; 17 percent favor leasing the Pennsylvania turnpike; 14 percent say lay off state workers;...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett appears to be building a solid lead in his bid for the governor's office, according to a Franklin & Marshall College poll released today. The poll shows the Republican supported by 47 percent of likely Pennsylvania voters to 32 percent for his Democratic rival, Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato. About a fifth of voters remain undecided. A September poll by Franklin & Marshall showed Corbett with 36 percent to Onorato's 32 percent. In New York, the latest poll shows Democrat Andrew Cuomo with a 20-point lead over Republican Carl Paladino less than a week before the election of the state’s next governor. The Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters shows Cuomo's lead at 55 percent to 35 percent, with 11 percent saying they might change their minds before Election. Another 7 percent are still undecided. http://www.fandm.edu/fandmpoll http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml

Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett holds a 54 - 39 percent lead over Democrat Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County Executive, in the race to become Pennsylvania's next governor, fueled by a 56 - 29 percent margin among independent voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released today. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1327.xml?ReleaseID=1502 Republican Carl Paladino is narrowing the gap between himself and Democrat Andrew Cuomo in the New York governor’s race, according to a Quinnipiac poll, that says the race is now 49 percent for Cuomo to 43 percent for Paladino, with a 3.6 percent margin of error. The poll conducted last week surveyed 751 likely voters. Seven percent of voters remain undecided and 21 percent of those who name a candidate say they might still change their mind. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1318.xml?ReleaseID=1504

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak is within striking distance of U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, trailing the long-time incumbent 47 - 39 percent among likely primary voters, compared to his 53 - 32 percent gap April 7, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. In the Democratic primary for Governor, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato has 36 percent to lead a pack of largely unknown candidates, none of whom tops 9 percent, the independent Quinnipiac University survey finds. Another 37 percent are undecided and 60 percent of likely primary voters who express a choice say they might change their mind. "The Senate race is closing and could be headed for a close finish, while the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination is moving in the opposite direction," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "With only two weeks until the May 18 primary, Onorato can feel somewhat confident, wh...

State Senator Daylin Leach is introducing a bill that would allow Pennsylvania to join 14 other states and the District of Columbia in offering doctor-supervised marijuana programs to residents with debilitating medical conditions. New Jersey passed their safe access law earlier this year. The legislation would allow physicians in Pennsylvania to prescribe medicinal marijuana to eligible patients. According to recent studies, marijuana has been proven to counter the side effects of chemotherapy, control pain and relieve symptoms of glaucoma and other chronic conditions. A poll conducted in 2009 by Quinnipiac University found that 59 percent of Pennsylvania residents support the legalization of medical marijuana for use by eligible patients. e-mail from Senate Democratic Broadcast Services

Republican Pat Toomey is back on top 46 - 41 percent over Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania's seesaw U.S. Senate race, while Attorney General Tom Corbett, the leader for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, remains ahead of each of the three top Democratic contenders by double digits, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. In the governor's race, Tom Corbett - by far the best known of the contenders - retains a double digit lead over the three leading contenders for the Democratic nomination, which will be decided in the May 18 primary. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1327.xml?ReleaseID=1442

More than half of Pennsylvania residents oppose Governor Ed Rendell's plan to change the state sales tax. That's according to a new poll released today by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 53 percent of the more than 1,400 people surveyed don't like the plan that would decrease the tax from 6 percent to 4 percent but would tax more items and services. The Governor's Budget Office projects the sales tax reform would raise more than $530 million in the new fiscal year. Under current plans, all of that money would be set aside in what's being called the "Stimulus Transition Reserve Fund." For more on the poll, go here .

A new poll shows New Yorkers don't want Governor David Paterson to quit. The Quinnipiac University poll finds that 61 percent of voters don't want Paterson to resign because of the current scandal. He's accused of trying to persuade a woman to drop accusations of domestic violence against one of his aides. The poll released today showed even most women don't want Paterson to quit. The National Organization for Women on Tuesday called for Paterson's resignation. Also, most New Yorkers don't want state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate the scandal, with 61 percent saying they would prefer an investigation by an independent prosecutor rather than Cuomo. For more results from the poll, go here .

Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter leads Democratic primary challenger, U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak 53 - 29 percent and has pushed ahead of Republican Pat Toomey 49 - 42 percent in a general election matchup, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today, up from a 44 - 44 percent tie December 18. In a battle of the unknowns, Toomey leads Sestak 39 - 36 percent with 24 percent undecided. President Barack Obama's job approval rating in Pennsylvania remains below 50 percent, at 49 - 46 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Fewer than one in five Pennsylvanians think the federal government in Washington, or the state government in Harrisburg, does the right thing almost all or most of the time. "Sen. Arlen Specter seems to be having a good winter politically. He is back ahead of Republican Pat Toomey after having been essentially tied with him since last summer, and there remains no evidence that his primary challenger, Congressman J...

Pennsylvania voters say allowing marijuana to be used for medical purposes is a good idea, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. 67 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of independent voters favor the use of medical marijuana. Republicans are pretty much split with 49 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed. According to the poll, medical marijuana wins support from all age groups, ranging from 62 percent among voters 18 to 34 years old to 56 percent among voters over 55. State Attorney General Tom Corbett says he opposes a House bill that would legalize marijuana for medical purposes, saying that even limited legalization of marijuana could compound the dangers that drugs present to society. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1327.xml?ReleaseID=1406

New York Governor David Paterson's approval rating has gone up. He still has more people viewing him unfavorably than favorably, but the Quinnipiac Polling Institute says Paterson's tough talk on the budget crisis boosted his number. The poll shows 38 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the governor while 44 percent view him unfavorably. 40 percent say they approve of the job Paterson is doing while 49 percent disapprove. Those are the best numbers for Paterson since February. http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1318.xml?ReleaseID=1404