Most polled say U.S. income taxes too high
April 14, 1996
Web posted at: 1:55 p.m. EDTWith tax day looming Monday, how do Americans feel about paying federal income taxes?
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released Sunday shows nearly two-thirds of Americans say they pay too much in federal income taxes.
The poll was based on interviews with 1,010 adult Americans April 9-10. The sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The complaint, however, is an old one.
As far back as 1948 when Gallup first asked the question, 57 percent of those polled said their federal taxes were too high. In 1969, a whopping 69 percent said they paid too much; in 1973, 65 percent felt the same way.
For the record, 33 percent of those polled this year feel their federal income taxes are about right. One percent says taxes are too low.
----- Your federal income taxes Too high 64% About right 33% Too low 1% Sampling error: +/-3% pts ----- Income taxes are too high 1996 64% 1994 56% 1969 69% 1948 57% Sampling error: +/-3% pts -----The public also believes that low- and middle-income people are paying too much in federal taxes, while the rich aren't paying their fair share.
Sixty-eight percent think upper-income Americans are not paying enough; only 19% say upper-income Americans are paying their fair share.
Four out of 10 say low-income Americans are paying their fair share and 48 percent say they are paying too much. Meanwhile, 58 percent say the middle class pays too much in taxes; 34 percent say they pay their fair share.
----- Taxes paid by lower-income people Too much 48% Too little 9% Fair share 40% Sampling error: +/-3% pts ----- Taxes paid by middle-income people Too much 58% Too little 5% Fair share 34% Sampling error: +/-3% pts ----- Taxes paid by upper-income people Too much 9% Too little 68% Fair share 19% Sampling error: +/-3% pts --------------------
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