CT still upset with Malloy's budget

Hartford, Conn (WTNH) - The Governor continues to sell his budget plan, but so far there are not too many buyers.

Governor Malloy will hold his second town hall meeting on his budget Thursday night in Torrington. During the day on Thursday the first public opinion poll on his proposals was released, and what he's been saying is right, everybody is upset about it.

Voters only like one of his proposed tax hikes. The poll found that 68 percent approve of the hike in the cigarette tax, but overwhelmingly disapprove of everything else.

67 percent oppose the hike in the tax on gasoline. 54 percent oppose Malloy's proposed increases in the Income Tax.

"His least popular tax increase proposal is getting rid of the middle class Property Tax Credit," said Fegus Cullen from the Yankee Institute.

73 percent told the Yankee Institute's polling service that elimination of that $500 tax break is a bad idea.

"Many people who oppose us on this actually don't qualify for it, which is an interesting set of circumstances," said Governor Malloy. When asked how he knew that, Malloy responded, "Because I've actually talked to people, and I've asked what their incomes were, and their incomes were in excess of the incomes that would have allowed them to have that credit."

A News 8 informal poll of state lawmakers finds the elimination of that tax break seems to be the one that most lawmakers are having the hardest time swallowing as well.

And, not withstanding that big union rally at the Capitol yesterday, voters say that's the one area of Malloy's budget proposal they like.

71 percent of voters say they favor concessions from state employees.

"You see what's happening in Wisconsin. There seems to be strong support among Connecticut voters for that kind of thing too. It was the single most popular proposal the Governor had, going for more concessions from state employees."

But despite all the disapproval of Malloy's plans, 50 percent told the Yankee Institute's pollster that they approve of the way he's doing things so far.