The FINANCIAL — A solid majority of New York state voters support the $3 billion deal to bring Amazon to Queens — especially minorities, according to a poll released Tuesday.
The Siena College poll asked: “Do you approve or disapprove of the recently announced deal between Amazon and New York, which grants up to $3 billion in state and city incentives to Amazon in return for Amazon locating its corporate offices in Queens, where it is projected to generate 25,000 jobs?”
The result: 56 percent of voters statewide approved, while 36 percent didn’t.
In New York City, 58 percent of registered voters backed the plan, while 35 percent were opposed.
“Even as Amazon is said to be re-examining the deal to locate in Queens, by twenty points New York voters approve of the deal,” said pollster Don Levy.
“In New York City, where some local activists have voiced opposition, voters approve of the deal by 23 points,” he adds.
Minorities were the biggest Amazon boosters.
Among black voters, 70 percent backed the deal while only 25 percent objected.
Among Latinos, 81 percent supported Amazon while only 17 percent were opposed.
Whites were in favor, 51 percent to 40 percent.
Amazon has been criticized for being inhospitable to unions. But even voters in union households support bringing the retail giant to the Big Apple — 53 percent in favor compared to 40 percent against.
The Siena poll was more bullish on the Amazon deal than a Quinnipiac University survey conducted in December, which found that 46 percent of New York City voters approved of the incentive package, while 44 percent didn’t.
The Siena poll queried 778 registered voters from Feb. 4 to 7 and has a 4.3 percentage-point margin of error.
