New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the White House on Wednesday (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)Michael Bloomberg has said he hopes to be remembered as New York City’s best mayor after he leaves office later this year. But his popularity appears to have taken a hit among New Yorkers who have mixed feelings about an upcoming ban on large, sugary drinks.
A new Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday found 51 percent of New York voters oppose the so-called “soda ban” set to go into effect March 12. The ban extends to businesses the city regulates, including restaurants, delis and movie theaters. Among black voters, the opposition was even higher, with 60 percent of those polled saying they oppose the ban.
And while a majority of voters—53 percent—say they approve of the job Bloomberg is doing at City Hall, that’s a 3-point drop since January.
At the same time, the poll asked voters to name the person they believe has done the “best job” as mayor of New York City. Nearly a third of voters picked former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Bloomberg’s predecessor who was praised for his leadership in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
Bloomberg was statistically tied with former Mayor Ed Koch, who died Feb. 1. Twenty-five percent of New Yorkers said Koch did the “best job” as mayor, while 24 percent picked Bloomberg. (The poll’s margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.)
While Bloomberg’s push to limit soda intake hasn’t been popular, a clear majority of voters—69 percent—approve of the mayor’s push to ban plastic-foam packaging announced earlier this month.