Support for school vouchers and district consolidation is divided, according to Rutgers-Eagleton poll, but more support the latter if guaranteed stable property taxes
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Oct. 27, 2025) - One thing most New Jersey voters agree on? Don't increase or expand the state sales tax, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
Seventy-six percent of likely voters strongly oppose extending the sales tax to additional types of purchases, such as clothing and groceries (76%); 15% are somewhat opposed, 4% are somewhat supportive, and 3% are strongly supportive.
This majority opposition crosses partisan lines and extends to all demographic groups.
"Taxes have long been the third rail of New Jersey politics and remain the issue voters see as the state's biggest problem," said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "Both Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli are navigating the same political reality: New Jerseyans want change, but they are wary of any policy that could have a negative impact on their wallets. How each candidate frames their affordability message in these final moments will determine who gains the upper hand."
A plurality of voters also opposes increasing the sales tax from its current 6.6% rate.
When asked whether they support or oppose restoring the sales tax to its former 7% rate, 52% of likely voters say they are strongly opposed and 20% are somewhat opposed. Eighteen percent say they somewhat support this idea and 3% strongly support it.
All demographic groups maintain a majority opposition, including all partisans, though Republicans are more opposed (85%) than independents (72%) and especially Democrats (63%) when it comes to restoring the state sales tax to 7%.
The opposition increases when asked about increasing the sales tax from 6.6% to 10%. Seventy-six percent of voters "strongly oppose" such an increase, 10% somewhat oppose, 5% somewhat support, and 4% strongly support.
Schools and Property Taxes
When it comes to tax-funded vouchers parents or guardians could use to help pay tuition for their child to attend a private or religious school instead of public school, opinions are mixed.
Nearly half of likely voters support giving parents or guardians vouchers (30% "strongly," 19% "somewhat"), while 45% are opposed (32% "strongly," 13% "somewhat"). Republicans are more supportive of vouchers (67%) than Democrats (37%) or independents (45%).
On school district consolidation, 13% strongly support merging their local school district with a nearby district, 23% are somewhat supportive, 18% are somewhat opposed, and 26% are strongly opposed.
Providing arguments for and against consolidation before asking about one's views slightly increases support: Among those who received the additional argument text, 20% are strongly supportive, 24% somewhat supportive, 17% somewhat opposed, and 24% strongly opposed.
Support for district consolidation rises to a majority once property taxes enter the equation. More than half of likely voters would support merging their local school district with a nearby district school (28% "strongly," 29% "somewhat") if it guaranteed property taxes would be stable for the next five years; slightly more than a quarter would still oppose it (16% somewhat, 12% strongly).
"New Jersey voters are divided on these education policies that have been put forth by the gubernatorial candidates - school choice by Ciattarelli and school consolidation by Sherrill," said Koning. "But when the argument is made that consolidation may lead to some property tax stability, consolidation garners more support. Public opinion on these education issues should provide some context for what the candidates should or should not focus on when it comes to New Jersey schools and how they should frame their related policy proposals."
When given the hypothetical case that their property taxes would remain stable, majorities of all demographic groups, including all partisans, are supportive of consolidation, except when it comes to age and parental status. While majorities of voters ages 50 to 64 (64%) and 65 or older (73%) would be supportive, those 18 to 34 (46% supportive versus 37% opposed) and those 35 to 49 (44% supportive versus 42% opposed) have more mixed opinions.
Sixty-one percent of individuals without children in the household are supportive, while those with children in the household are mixed, with 46% of parents or guardians supportive and 44% opposed.
Voters have mixed views on their local public schools: 50% say they are doing an "excellent" (15%) or "good" (35%) job overall, while 42% say they are doing "only fair" (25%) or "poor" (17%). Eight percent are unsure.
Republicans are more likely to feel negatively about the job schools are doing (27% "poor," 34% "only fair") compared with other partisans. Voters ages 65 and older (18% "excellent," 47% "good") and those with a four-year college degree or additional schooling (21% "excellent," 37% "good") are more likely to feel positively than their counterparts.
Results are from a statewide poll of 795 voters contacted via live calling and texting from Oct. 3 to Oct. 17. The likely voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percentage points. The registered voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points.
