Voters support Perdue sin tax hikes

The economy may be bad but North Carolina voters are willing to accept some tax increases- at least the ones on cigarettes and alcohol that Bev Perdue has proposed.

60% support her surcharge on alcohol purchases and 53% say they're fine with a one dollar per pack hike on cigarettes.

Although Democrats are more supportive than Republicans of the increases, public opinion is actually not that polarized along party lines on these issues. A lot of Republicans support the increases and a lot of Democrats oppose them, a different story from polling we did on the stimulus package a few months ago that found around 80% of Democrats supportive and around 80% of Republicans opposed.

The cigarette increase finds 59% of Democrats, 55% of independents, and 43% of Republicans in support. For the alcohol increase it's 71% of Democrats, 54% of independents, and 49% of Republicans.

The state's pivotal group of self described moderate voters is highly supportive of both proposals- 67% on alcohol and 62% on cigarettes.

There is a significant urban/rural divide on the question of the cigarette tax increase with 60% of suburbanites, 54% of urban dwellers, but only 41% of rural voters who are more likely to be reliant on the tobacco economy in support.

Full results here