Questions of tax fairness (News and Observer)
Generally speaking, folks don’t like taxes.
But North Carolinians seem divided on the question of tax fairness, according to a new poll by Elon University.
Almost half (48 percent) of North Carolina residents polled Nov. 16-19 say the current state tax system is either “not at all fair” or “not too fair.” But 43 percent said they considered state taxes to be fair or “very fair.”
Asked about local taxes, more than half (51 percent) said they consider them to be fair or “very fair.” Less than half (42 percent) said local taxes are “not too fair” or “not at all fair.”
As for the fairness of specific taxes, respondents overwhelmingly preferred alcohol taxes (24 percent consider them “not fair” or “not at all fair), retail sales tax (29 percent) and tobacco taxes (33 percent.)
The gas tax was considered “not fair” or “not at all fair” by 64 percent of those surveyed.
Elon surveyed 563 North Carolina residents, with a margin of error or plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
Submitted by bkrueger on November 20, 2009 – 12:35pm.
