Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 17, 1992 TAG: 9202170182
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
POLL: MORE TAXES OK, IF PAIRED WITH LESS SPENDING
Half of Virginians would likely support a combination of tax increases and program cuts to deal with the state's financial problems, according to a newspaper poll.The poll by the Richmond Times-Dispatch released Sunday found 50 percent of those polled favored such a combination to balance the state's budget. Twenty-four percent favored budget cuts only; 12 percent wanted to raise taxes and not cut programs; and 15 percent were undecided.
The poll was based on telephone interviews Feb. 6-11 with 861 adults. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton, said the support for a tax increase shows the budget cutting of the past two years has begun affecting a great number of people.
"We've already cut $1.1 billion from the budget. People seem to overlook that. You get to a point where people are directly affected," he said.
The poll found wide support for various taxes now before the General Assembly.
Seventy-five percent of those polled said they would likely support raising the corporate income tax; 84 percent supported an increase on the tax on liquor; and 78 percent supported raising the tax on cigarettes.
However, 64 percent of those polled said they would be less likely to support a higher sales tax.
Friday, the House of Delegates passed a $1 billion bond issue for construction projects. The proposal requires the voters to approve a half-cent increase in the 4.5 percent sales tax this summer before the bonds can be issued.
The poll did not ask what programs the respondents might favor cutting.
Of those polled, 77 percent said they would back tax increases to help cover the cost of medical services to the poor. However, 71 percent said they would oppose Gov. Douglas Wilder's proposed tax on doctors, hospitals and nursing homes to provide $60 million for Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor.
Wilder said the poll was flawed because in its presentation of the question to those surveyed it said the "health industry says such a tax would mean higher medical bills for consumers." Wilder said that under his plan, it would be a crime for the cost of the tax to be passed on to the patient.
The plan was sent back to committee by the House on Thursday. The committee can not take up the matter until next year, and it appears the issue is dead for this session.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY