Mercyhurst Poll: 69% Confident In Wolf's Leadership, 65% Able To Solve State’s Problems

Mercyhurst University released a poll Monday showing 69 percent of respondents were confident in Gov.-Elect Tom Wolf’s leadership ability and 65 percent said he has the ability to solve the state’s problems.

50 percent said he should be able to outperform his predecessor, although a sizable minority-- 29 percent-- said Wolf and Corbett’s performance as governor will be about the same.

52 percent said he would be able to work effectively with Republicans in the General Assembly, but 40 percent said they weren’t so sure.

On Wolf’s agenda, respondents said--

-- 58 percent favored a progressive income tax;

-- 66 percent favored raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10;

-- 61 percent favored enacting a natural gas production severance tax;

-- 74 percent favored increasing funding for public schools;

-- 52 percent favored privatizing state liquor stores, 34 percent opposed; and

-- 58 percent favored reforming public employee pension systems.

On identifying the most important issues Wolf should address--

-- 25 percent said education;

-- 23 percent the economy and jobs;

-- 13 percent taxes;

-- 7 percent the budget;

-- 6 percent the pension system;

-- 5 percent political reforms;

-- 3 percent hydraulic fracturing;

-- 3 percent infrastructure;

-- 3 percent health care; and

-- 2 percent welfare.