Americans prefer balancing the budget to cutting taxes

by on April 13th, 2004

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TAXES_AP_POLL?SITE=MIDTF&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

WASHINGTON (AP) — By almost a 2-1 margin, Americans prefer balancing the nation’s budget to cutting taxes, according to an Associated Press poll, even though many believe their overall tax burden has risen despite tax cuts over the past three years.

About six in ten, 61 percent, chose balancing the budget while 36 percent chose tax cuts when they were asked which was more important, according to a poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos Public Affairs.

As the nation’s tax deadline of April 15 approaches, people’s lukewarm feeling about tax cuts may be influenced by a belief that recent cuts haven’t helped them personally.

Half in the poll, 49 percent, said their overall tax burden – including federal, state and local taxes – had gone up over the past three years. That’s almost four times the 13 percent in the poll who said their overall taxes had gone down.

Mike Thomas