newsobserver.com projects - N.C. Poll Watch - Comments

Re: N.C. Poll Watch

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:25:02 -0400

Then a fair question would be: If you had to cut $250 million from the state budget, which would you support: Cutting health insurance for kids, eliminating incentives for major companies, etc.

— RTB

Re: N.C. Poll Watch

rschofield — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:17:54 -0400

This is sort of a fair point -- but, of course, it's mostly essential services (e.g., the Disadvantage Student Supplemental Fund, Community Colleges, health insurance for kids and hard-to-insure adults, and affordable housing) that seem to have found their way onto the chopping block in the current budget negotiations. Would that elimination of the incentives for Dell and Google were a part of the mix! I hope folks will check out the rest of the poll to read the actual text of all the questions and, in particular, to see that voters do not support an income tax cut for the wealthiest 2% of North Carolinians as is proposed in the Senate budget.

N.C. Poll Watch

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:55:24 -0400

N.C. Policy Watch has a new poll out.

The results appear to show voters support an earned income tax credit, oppose a cut in the sales tax and support raising taxes on the wealthy.

But the wording is problematic. For example:

Another legislative proposal would reduce the state sales tax by one-quarter of a penny. This reduction will save the average household about $45 per year but will leave the state with $250 million less per year to pay for essential public services like schools. (Italics ours)

That's a pretty fair question up to the last five words or so. A different ending would surely change the results:

...to pay for incentives for businesses like Dell and Google.

...to pay for a salary increase for state employees.

...to cover a shortfall in projected lottery revenue.