I've searched around and come up empty.
Has anyone seen any actual polling on the issue?
Yes.
51% are against using tax dollars to build the Islanders an arena
37% support using tax dollars to build the arena.
12% are undecided, saying they need more information.
(MOE +/- 3.9%)
But that is a little misleading.
#1 - it's out of 620 people.
#2 - The language and method used wasn't an indicator of how the vote will go.
-- 68% agreed that the county should do everything in its power to keep the Islanders in Nassau
-- 74% said the Arena area land should be developed to boost the economy.
Those numbers conflict with the "results" of the poll. How can 68% say everything in their power, and 51% be against using tax dollars?
#3 - (Most importantly) There's zero indication how many of those CARE ENOUGH to ACTUALLY VOTE on the issue, which was never asked.
On August 1, there's nothing else to vote on. Polls are open for this issue, and this issue only (brilliant move by the pro-Arena crowd).
So, that's really the biggest question: How many people show up to vote? You have to think that the people with the strongest opinions on the matter are: Islanders fans and union workers.
62% percent of voters said they thought would be paying $50 to $60 in additional property taxes if they built the arena.
But that is totally incorrect. Cost to taxpayers is actually $13.80 if they build (and it's $16
if the Islanders move). If 62% of the people are THAT misinformed, you have to assume that a MASSIVE CHUNK of that 62% don't care enough to go vote, if they never bothered to actually READ any of the information on the project.
Here's the poll:
http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infom...feed:c=topstories&feed:i=1.3047201&nopaging=1