Dissatisfaction spans party and regional lines as broad majorities rally behind sweeping tax reform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ALBANY, N.Y. – New Yorkers are delivering a blunt assessment of the state’s tax system: 67% say they are not getting good value for their tax dollars, while 64% support eliminating the state income tax, according to the Empire Center’s 2026 opinion poll.

“Regular New Yorkers are fed up and want lower taxes,” said Zilvinas Silenas, president of the Empire Center for Public Policy. “Albany can follow Florida’s example or keep watching New Yorkers leave for Florida.”

The dissatisfaction is both deep and broad. Nearly half of respondents, 48%, say they are definitely not getting good value for their taxes, while 19% say they are somewhat not getting good value. Just 30% say they are getting good value, and 3% are unsure. The Empire Center’s December 2024 poll produced similar results, indicating that these concerns remain unaddressed.

The dissatisfaction cuts across political lines. The share who say New Yorkers are not getting good value for the taxes they pay reaches 89% among Republicans, 69% among voters with no party affiliation, and 53% among Democrats. The majority in every region agrees, with dissatisfaction ranging from 59% in New York City to 73% in Western New York.

Support for eliminating the state income tax is similarly widespread. The proposal is backed by 88% of Republicans, 64% of voters with no party affiliation, and 51% of Democrats. It also draws majority support in every region, income bracket, and age group. Overall, 47% strongly support the proposal, 16% somewhat support it, 27% oppose it, and 9% are unsure.

Regionally, support is highest in the Hudson Valley at 70%, followed by Long Island at 69%; Albany/Central New York and Western New York at 68% each; and New York City at 54%. The Empire Center’s 2025 poll produced similar results.

“We are watching New York’s social contract break down,” Silenas said. “New Yorkers pay too much and get too little in return. Albany refuses to listen, so people give up and leave.”

Together, the findings send a clear message to state policymakers: New Yorkers across the political and demographic spectrum are dissatisfied with how much they pay and what they receive in return, and most voters support a fundamental change in state fiscal policy.

Data Source: Survey of Likely 2026 General Election Voters, July 6–8, 2026. Sample size 600, with margin of error ±4.00%, completed by Cygnal on behalf of the Empire Center for Public Policy.

About the Empire Center for Public Policy
The Empire Center is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank located in Albany, New York. Our mission is to make New York a better place to live and work by promoting public policy reforms grounded in free-market principles, personal responsibility, and the ideals of effective and accountable government.

About Cygnal
Cygnal is an award-winning public opinion and predictive analytics firm. The firm delivered a 95 percent accuracy rating in the 2024 election cycle and has conducted more than 4,800 polls over 3,100 campaigns in all 50 states and more than 20 countries, helping governors, Members of Congress, state leaders, corporations, and trade associations turn voter data into decisions.

Media contact:

Zilvinas Silenas
Empire Center for Public Policy

518.434.3100
[email protected]