Day two of the Quinnipiac University poll found strong support for a law that would ensure pay equality for women and an increase in the state’s minimum wage.

The poll found the 53 percent of voters believe the pay equity bill should be the “highest priority” for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature. Thirty-six percent believe should be a high priority, and only 10 percent say it should be a lower priority.

The measure is part of Cuomo’s larger women’s equality package that includes the Reproductive Health Act and measures meant to stem discrimination against women in the workplace.

“That liberal shibboleth – equal pay for women – wins overwhelming support in thisliberal state,” said Mickey Carroll, a spokesman for the Quinnipiac poll. “Even Republicans make it their top priority, although with less support than Democrats.

Increasnig the state’s minimum wage, meanwhile, yet again receives broad support. Eighty-percent of voters back the measure, which has been discussed in Albany over the last year. Cuomo in his State of the State address unveiled his plan that would increase the minmum wage from $7.25 to $8.75.

That the minimum wage will be increased is close to a foregone conclusion in Albany, but it remains to be seen how it will actually get accomplished. Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos has said he’s opposed to an immediate increase that would take effect July 1, but is open to phasing in an increase.

The controversial approval the natural gas extraction process hydrofracking remains, well, controversial, the poll found.

New Yorkers are divided on whether to allow fracking in the Marcellus Shale, with 43 percent of voters backing the process and 42 percent opposed to it.

The poll of 1,127 voters was conducted between Jan. 23 and 28 and has a 2.9 percent margin of error.

013113 NY ISSUE + BP by Nick Reisman

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