Poll: Oklahomans against income tax cuts that reduce funding for schools, roads
BY WAYNE GREENE World Senior Writer
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
5/09/12 at 11:04 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY – Large majorities of Oklahoma voters oppose state income tax cuts if it means less funding for schools, roads and public safety, a poll released Wednesday by the Oklahoma Advocacy Project shows.
The poll also shows voters are concerned that cutting the income tax will lead to higher sales and property taxes to make up for lost revenue.
The telephone poll of 603 registered voters was conducted May 3-6 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
The plurality of those polled – 42 percent – opposed cutting the state income tax and paying for it by eliminating popular tax credits such as the child tax credit and the sale tax relief credit, as has been proposed by Gov. Mary Fallin and some lawmakers.
When voters were asked if they favor reducing funding for public schools in order to pass on savings in the form of a tax cut, opposition rose to 81 percent.
Seventy percent agreed with the statement, “phasing out the state income tax will lead to higher property taxes and sales taxes to provide necessary funding for public services like schools, roads and public safety.”
When asked if they supported phasing out the state income tax if it meant higher property taxes and sale taxes, 67 percent opposed the income tax phase-out.
“The poll shows that Oklahomans understand there is no free lunch,” said Toby Friesen, director of the Oklahoma Advocacy Project. “They recognize that tax cuts will lead to even more challenges for our already over-burdened schools, public safety officers and road networks.”
The Oklahoma Advocacy Project is a nonprofit formed to advocate on behalf of working Oklahomans.
A press release from the group says it “supports reasonable policies that create economic prosperity for all Oklahomans and that protect core government services.”
Associated Images:
In a recent poll of 603 Oklahoma voters, 70 percent agreed with the statement, “phasing out the state income tax will lead to higher property taxes and sales taxes to provide necessary funding for public services like schools, roads and public safety.” MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World file
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