Politics on the Hudson

   Nearly 70 percent of registered voters in New York fear the state will run out of money in December, according to a Marist Poll released this afternoon. Twenty-one percent of voters said they are not very worried about that and 10 percent are not worried at all, the poll found.

   When asked if New York’s $3.2 billion budget shortfall is a major problem, 88 percent said yes and 11 percent said they believe it is a minor problem. Only 1 percent said it’s not an issue at all.

   “Voters are paying attention to the budget problems in Albany and they’re not happy with what they’re seeing,” Marist Poll Director Lee Miringoff said in a statement.

   Gov. David Paterson called lawmakers back to Albany last week and this week to deal with the state’s $3.2 billion shortfall. Paterson has warned that if the problem is not taken care of very soon, New York could be short on money to pay its bills next month. They are still trying to negotiate a deal.

   Seventy percent of voters told Marist they blamed the state Legislature for the state’s fiscal woes, while 21 percent said Paterson was at fault. But, 64 percent of voters disapprove of how Paterson is dealing with the budget and 28 percent approve. The split was similar in September, the last time Marist asked voters that question.

   As for how Paterson is handling the state’s economic crisis, 63 percent said they disapprove and 30 percent gave him the thumbs up, similar to how voters answered that question in September, the poll found.

   Marist surveyed 805 voters last Thursday and Monday and Tuesday of this week. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percent.