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Poll Finds 43 Percent Agree With Occupy Wall Street Movement

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The latest poll finds nearly half of Americans agree with the views of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The CBS News/New York Times Poll released Tuesday found 43 percent agreed with demonstration, 27 percent disagreed and 30 percent said they were unsure.

Surveys Director Sarah Dutton says the poll also asked how people feel about the distribution of wealth in America.

"Sixty-six percent Americans, two out of three, think that the distribution of money and wealth in America should be more evenly divided. Just 26 percent think that the money and wealth in this country is distributed fairly," Dutton told WCBS 880. "So clearly Americans think there is an unequal distribution of wealth in this country and that it should be fairer."

Whether you agree with the movement or not, many residents living near Zuccotti Park have had enough with the noise, trash and other issues in the neighborhood.

LISTEN: WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reports

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That's why Tuesday night, a lower Manhattan community board passed a resolution that would limit group chanting, drumming and other loud noises to two hours during the day.

Protestors have agreed to the new rules.

Many residents in the area have been trying to work with Occupy Wall Street representatives to come up with some sort of compromise in the neighborhood.

"There is drumming. There are trumpets. There are bugles. There are tambourines. There's yelling and shouting and chanting late into the night," resident Ro Sheffe said.

Another concern of those who live or work in the area is where protesters use the bathroom. John Tuttle works a few blocks away and said some of their behavior has become a health hazard.

"I saw a gentleman who was actually using Tupperware containers to urinate in. He actually was dumping it in the street," Tuttle said.

The new resolution also calls for portable bathrooms to be set up off site.

Also of concern for those who live and work in the area is the number of police barricades that make it difficult to get around.

"We're urging the NYPD to remove a lot of these barricades," said Chair of Community Board 1 Julie Menin. "The NYPD has put barricades that are basically blocking access for residents and businesses and people just walking around the neighborhood and we don't see the need to have this many barricades."

Last week, demonstrators said they were planning on instituting a "good neighbor policy" as well.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday that the protest in Zuccotti Park has had an impact on the city.

"It is overtime for the police department, it is disruption to businesses in the area, it is good or bad for the city's reputation," he said.

Meanwhile, protesters will be on the move again Wednesday.

According to their website, a rally and march planned for Wednesday afternoon and evening will target the health insurance industry.

Organizers are also calling on the public to come and speak out about their "personal struggles with our healthcare system."

It's set to kick off at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield across the street from Zuccotti Park.

The march will then head to WellCare on 5th Avenue before ending at St. Vincent's Hospital in Greenwich Village.

St. Vincent's filed for bankruptcy before closing in April of last year.

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