2/3rds of NC Voters Say Taxes are Too High

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 15, 2008
CONTACT: FRANCIS DELUCA (919) 834-2099/ (919) 618-3484

Raleigh, N.C. – As people rush to put their tax forms in the mail before Tuesday’s deadline, 66% believe they are paying too much to federal and state tax collectors. The result clearly shows that taxes will likely be an important issue this election season.

The Civitas Institute’s April DecisionMaker reveals that two-thirds (66%) of North Carolina voters believe state taxes are too high for the services they receive. 29% believed it was about right, while only 2% thought taxes were too low.

“North Carolina residents overwhelming agree that they are not getting back in services what they are paying in taxes,” stated Civitas Institute Executive Director Francis DeLuca. “North Carolina used to be known as a low-tax state, but this is increasingly farther and farther from the truth,” DeLuca added.

Compared to its neighbors in the Southeast, North Carolina currently has the highest corporate tax rate (6.9 percent), the highest marginal income tax rate (7.75 percent), the second-highest motor fuels tax (30.15 cents per gallon), and the second highest sales tax (6.75 percent).

North Carolina voters also believe cutting taxes is the best way to stimulate the economy with 73 percent preferring tax cuts to 14 percent wanting increased state spending on social programs.

“With the economy in North Carolina teetering on the brink of recession, voters see lower taxes as the way to turn our economy around,” DeLuca stated. “With the General Assembly’s short session convening in a few weeks, legislators should listen to voters and look for ways to reduce the crippling tax burden on North Carolina families before continuing their expansion of government programs.”

The study of 800 registered voters was conducted April 9-10 by TelOpinion Research of Alexandria, Virginia. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters we interviewed had to have voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general election or were newly registered voters since 2006. The voters were interviewed using live callers.

The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that: 95% of the time, results from 800 interviews (registered voters) will be within +-3.7% of the “True Values.” “True Values” refer to the results obtained if were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2006.