Corzine's Ratings continue to slip... now Corzine "the person" rating is tailspinning too.

The Governor's favorable rating which is a general impression of the person rather than approval of the job he does is finally catching on just like his toll hike plan - 38% say they have a favorable impression of the Governor.

"66% say the state is headed in the wrong direction and that is a new high," says Fairleigh Dickinson University-Public Mind poll director Peter Woolley. Just 26% say the state is off on the right direction.

In the new poll out today, the public splits over the Governor's performance with 44% approving and 45% disapproving, similar to his 42%-43% showing in February, but Woolley points out, "Back in October he had an approval rating of 51% against just 29% disapproving so, things really have changed."

Also changed is the Governor's favorable rating which is a general impression of the person rather than approval of the job he does. Woolley explains, "38% say they have a favorable impression of the Governor. 52% say their impression is unfavorable…..For a long time voters have given Jon Corzine high personal marks even if they didn't approve of this or that proposal. He may have come to the end of that good will."

"77% think their property taxes will increase in the coming year; and 43% say their (property) taxes will increase 'a lot,'" says Woolley. That's an increase of 10 percentage points from the same question asked a year ago. It is not a partisan issue. Nearly half of Republicans (48%) expect their property taxes to increase "a lot," nearly as many Democrats (41%) expect the same.

Just shy of half of New Jersey voters say they prefer "very steep budget cuts" to other possible options such as raising highway tolls or the gas tax or the income tax. Before the Governor announced his deep budget cuts, 51% said they preferred cuts. "The blood and gore of the budget cuts has not yet shaken voters even though the lobbyists are swinging into high season," says Woolley.

Staunch opposition remains to the Governor's proposal to restructure the state's finances by issuing bonds against an 800% toll increase. 60% oppose the plan, including half of Democrats (51%), three of five independents (62%), and most Republicans (70%). Woolley says, "How the budget cuts play to Democratic voters is key to the Governor's success or failure in the legislature."

The poll of 816 New Jersey registered voters statewide was conducted from March 24 through March 30 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.