Two Tax Cut Proposals Enjoy Varying Degree Of Support

Tax cuts are a hot topic at the state legislature and among the public, they enjoy varying degrees of support.

A new Talk Business-Hendrix College Poll of 659 state voters conducted on Monday night, February 28 shows that an additional reduction of the grocery tax is supported by nearly three-quarters of the state. The capital gains tax elimination has more supporters than opponent, but it does not have a majority of support among Arkansans.

The poll asked:

Q: Do you think the sales tax on groceries should be cut by one-half cent?

74%     Yes
18%     No
8%       Don’t Know

Q: Supporters of an elimination in Arkansas’ capital gains tax on property and new investments argue it will spur economic growth, while opponents argue that it benefits only the wealthiest Arkansans and threatens spending for existing programs. Should Arkansas’ tax on capital gains be eliminated?

44%     Yes
32%     No
24%     Don’t Know

Roby Brock, editor of Talk Business, said, "The overwhelming popularity of the grocery tax cut is not surprising since it has been a signature issue for Gov. Mike Beebe and the focus of the legislature for 3 consecutive sessions."

"The capital gains tax presents more of a mixed result. Clearly, more citizens support it than oppose it, but one-quarter of Arkansans are unsure of their opinion. The legislature, supporters and opponents of the measure all have an opportunity to make convincing arguments to sway public opinion on the issue," Brock said.

These poll questions are two of several legislature-related topics Talk Business and Hendrix College will be revealing over the course of the week. Other topics include highways, prisons, and political job approval ratings.

POLL BACKGROUND
This poll was conducted by Talk Business Research and Hendrix College. The poll, which has a margin of error of +/- 3.8%, was completed using IVR survey technology on Monday, February 28, 2011 among 659 registered Arkansas voters statewide.

All media outlets are welcome to reprint, reproduce, or rebroadcast information from this poll with proper attribution to Talk Business and Hendrix College.

For interviews, Brock can be reached by email at [email protected]. Barth can be contacted at [email protected].