More on Sin Taxes

In April we looked at Bev Perdue's proposals for increases in the alcohol and cigarette taxes and found 53-60% support for them.

We did a poll last week asking about them again, specifically asking voters if they would be supportive if such hikes could help reduce cuts to early childhood education. When you put it that way 67% of voters in the state are supportive.

When you poll about taxation you're always going to get lower levels of support if you don't provide any context about what the benefits of an increase could be. The fact that the alcohol and cigarette proposals got majority support in April without any of that information, and that support increases to 2/3rds when you name a potential positive of such a raise, is a clear indication that sin tax increases would be pretty safe politically.

This most recent poll also found that only 21% of voters in the state think that early childhood education is a good place to cut funding this year, that 87% of voters in the state think public funding for it is at least somewhat important, and that 74% of voters believe cuts to early childhood and higher education should be equitable. North Carolina's last two Governors made this issue a hallmark of their administrations, and it appears that even in tough times it remains a top priority for the state's voters.

Full results here