As we approach 2021’s delayed tax filing deadline, 50% of America says federal income taxes are too high, an increase of 5 points from the past 3 years of the Trump administration, according to the latest Gallup Poll.
“As a new Democratic presidential administration takes the reins in Washington, D.C., Republicans’ discomfort with the amount and fairness of their taxes is predictably rising, even before Biden’s proposed policies take effect, while Democrats’ views are steadier, as they typically have been, regardless of partisan leadership,” Gallup’s Lydia Saad wrote, announcing the results of the poll released last week.
“This was before President Joe Biden’s address to Congress on April 28, in which he called for raising taxes on corporations and the wealthiest 1% of Americans, while pledging not to raise taxes on people making less than $400,000,” she noted.
Just 39% of Democrats say their federal income taxes are too high compared to 60% of Republicans, according to the poll.
“Since 2009, Democrats’ opinions have been fairly flat, while the movement seen in U.S. adults’ attitudes during this period has largely been confined to Republicans,” Saad wrote.
There has been just 1 year in the past 20 where Democrats have had a higher percentage saying federal income taxes are too high (2007). The Republicans’ percentage peaked at 75% in 2016, before hitting a low of 46% in 2019.
While 50% of Americans see taxes as too high, just 43% view them as unfair, according to the poll.
“The 55% who now deem their taxes as fair is down slightly from the 57% to 61% range recorded over the 4 years of Donald Trump’s presidency, from 2017 to 2020,” Saad wrote.
“Americans’ view of the fairness of their taxes has tended to vary by the party of the sitting president, averaging at least several points higher when Republicans are in office (including 60% during George W. Bush’s presidency and 60% under Trump) than when Democrats are in office (including 48% in 1997 and 1999 under Bill Clinton and 56% under Barack Obama).
“Bush and Trump both cut taxes while in office. However, Americans’ satisfaction with their taxes increased under both presidents even before those actions were taken.”
Gallup surveyed 961 adults from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., April 1-21, 2021, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Source: Newmax
