Poll: N.J. Prefers Gay Marriage

As New Jersey marks the six-month anniversary of the civil unions law this Sunday, a new statewide Zogby Poll shows majorities of voters favoring changing the law to full marriage equality for same-sex couples. The poll of 803 New Jersey voters was taken from August 8 through 10, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent. Though Garden State Equality commissioned the poll, Zogby collected the data independently.

As of today, 1,514 couples have gotten civil-unioned in New Jersey. Garden State Equality alone has heard from 242 civil-unioned couples reporting that their employers are not recognizing their civil unions. The poll asked:

"If public officials in New Jersey come to the conclusion that civil unions for gay couples have not worked to provide equality under the law, and that the way to fix the law is to give gay couples the same right to marry as heterosexual couples, would you be fine with that or would you be upset by that?" 63% responded "fine with that," while only 31% responded "upset by that."

The poll also provides key political information to legislators for when they consider changing civil unions to marriage equality. The poll asked:

"Which of the following do you think is most likely to happen to legislators if they were to allow gay couples to marry? Those legislators would not be reelected, or nothing because people care about other issues more." 72% said nothing would happen to legislators, while only 21% said legislators would not be reelected.

In response to the question, "Regardless of where you stand on the issue of allowing gay couples to marry, do you agree or disagree that gay couples will be allowed to get married in New Jersey in a couple of years anyway?", 61% agreed, while only 29% disagreed.

The poll also asked the baseline question testing support for marriage equality versus civil unions in two different ways. When voters were asked: "New Jersey allows gay couples to enter into civil unions but not marry. Do you agree or disagree that New Jersey should give gay couples the same freedom to marry as heterosexual couples?" Some 48% supported marriage equality, while 45% opposed it.

But when voters were asked: "Which of the following comes closest to your own point of view: (A) If gay couples want to marry, let them. It will ensure equality and will not affect marriages of heterosexual couples anyway. (B) Allow gay couples to enter into civil unions, but not marriage. Allowing gay couples to marry will hurt the institution of marriage. (C) Do not allow gay couples to marry or enter into civil unions," 48% of voters supported marriage equality, 30% supported civil unions but no more, and 20% supported neither marriage nor civil unions for same-sex couples.

The difference between the two questions may have been the concept of marriage for gay couples hurting the institution of marriage, the primary argument of marriage-equality opponents that New Jersey voters clearly reject.

"Regardless of whether any public official supports marriage equality or wants to maintain the state's failed civil unions law," says Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, "no official in New Jersey can credibly say that marriage for gay couples is a divisive issue in the state. Even voters who oppose marriage equality are ready to accept an upgrade of the state's civil unions law to real marriage equality."

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Asbury Park Restoration in Time for Summer 2007

Madison Marquette has announced the formation of Experience Asbury, a joint venture with Asbury Partners to redevelop and revitalize the entire Asbury Park boardwalk. The formation coincides with the commencement of major improvement projects, including the rehabilitation of the famed Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall.

"Summer 2007 marks the return of Asbury Park as a preeminent cultural, dining, shopping and beach recreation destination," says Gary Mottola, president of Madison Marquette Investments, the managing partner of the new joint venture. The redevelopment zone stretches over 1.25 miles ofoceanfront property and includes Asbury Park's historic boardwalk, pavilions, Casino Building and Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall.

Madison Marquette is near completion of a historic rehabilitation of the historic Paramount Theatre. A grand reopening celebration is scheduled for Friday, June 29 and will feature the debut of "Attention Span of aFly," an original performance from Kennedy Center Award-Winning New Jersey playwright, Ben Clawson.

Larry Potter of Landmark Studio in Pittstown, New Jersey, is completing the theater's restoration. The 1,500-seat venue was originally built in 1930 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It was designed by the famed architecture firm of Warren and Wetmore and was widely considered one of the most magnificent theaters of the early 20th century. Anchoring the North end of the Asbury Park boardwalk, it is an enduring symbol of the city's rich history and culture.

This summer the Paramount will house a variety of live performances. A new in-residence theatre company, Park Players, will host a series ofplays. Christopher Barker, executive director of Highlands Regional Playhouse in Allendale, New Jersey has founded the theatre company with hisbrother, Jonathan Barker. "We were so excited about the restoration of this theater and the entire boardwalk area that we created Park Players," says Christopher Barker.

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