April 13, 2007
Gallup: Taxes Too High.. But Fair
Two Gallup questions about taxes:
Do you consider the amount of federal income tax you have to pay as too high, about right, or too low
Date High About right too low no opinion 2007 Apr 2-5 53 41 2 3But...
Do you regard the income tax which you will have to pay this year as fair?
Yes, fair No, not fair No opinion
2007 Apr 2-5 60 37 3
Posted at 11:39 AM
Comments
Ah, the best argument against democacy...
Some guy | 04.13.07 12:19 PM
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Heh. About 40% says their federal income taxes are about right... isn't it about 40% of the country that pays no net federal income taxes?
Looking at the the other side (37% not fair), the top 37% pay about 95% of all federal income taxes.
But yeah, curious juxtaposition
Jason | 04.13.07 01:47 PM
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Why not ask only those that PAY taxes? It would bet interesting to know the amount paid by tax category.
Ken | 04.13.07 02:37 PM
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It's fiscal S&M. The voters think it's only fair to be punished with high taxes.
TallDave | 04.13.07 02:43 PM
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i owuld like to add my response to this poll: not fair, too high.
Austin Mike | 04.13.07 02:44 PM
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People are saying that:
1. the overall burden on society is too high
2. the burden is distributed fairly amongst taxpayers
sf | 04.13.07 02:46 PM
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Asking the first question is not unlike asking your employee if they think they make enough money. OF COURSE most people think they pay too much in taxes. $1 is too much in taxes as far as I am concerned.
However, that doesn't make taxation unfair, it just means it is more than we'd like to pay.
It would definetly be more interesting to see how these questions break down by income bracket, and also how people who answered the first question answered the second.
Shinobi | 04.13.07 02:51 PM
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"Vicious but fair." (source)
Jay Manifold | 04.13.07 02:51 PM
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About right?
Hey, send me a check if you can!
bill | 04.13.07 02:53 PM
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I interpreted the questions in a way that makes those results perfectly consistent: They are "fair" in the sense that, while I am paying too much, so is everyone else -- i.e., as long as everyone else is getting equally screwed, it's "fair".
Ben | 04.13.07 03:15 PM
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Taxes are too high for the rich. Yeah, that's fair.
some poor guy | 04.13.07 03:19 PM
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Agreed. How much of that "61%" actually pay taxes?
Ben | 04.13.07 03:27 PM
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It isn't obvious that this is in any way contradictory. Fairness can easily be taken to refer to the way the tax burden is distributed among the population. For example, I think that taxes in general are too high. (So I answer 'high' to question 1.) But given the overall level of taxation, I think that my share of that overall amount is fair. (So I answer 'yes, fair' to question 2.)
Gray | 04.13.07 03:49 PM
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Critical points these last two comments.
Mark Buehner | 04.13.07 03:51 PM
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I don't think this is as ridiculous as it first looks. I would say that my taxes are too high, but also fair.
I wish that we had a smaller government that didn't require as much money as it does an so I think taxes are too high (because the government's too big).
However, given what the government does (without wanting to get into a detailed discussion), I think my taxes are basically fair.
This is hardly a paradox, let alone a sign that the great unwashed are stupid...
TW Andrews | 04.13.07 03:53 PM
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I paid too much, but my neighbor had to pay just as much, so it's fair.
cdeboe | 04.13.07 04:02 PM
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"Why not ask only those that PAY taxes?" They all pay taxes but a large percentage get more back than they put in. I ask my college level students how much in taxes they pay, and they all say they pay taxes. When we break it down, we find the majority of them recieve more money back than they put in. Ususally courtesy of EITC.
john | 04.13.07 04:27 PM
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Hard to fit this into the two americas camp...
still trying a demographer who would even try to break it into three.
Luckily we have john edwards, 'two americas'-his property and his neighbor.
If it means anything john, I do fall bad for the one America being abused by the other America.
paul | 04.13.07 04:49 PM
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I am just glad I don't get all the government I pay for.
tomas | 04.13.07 05:13 PM
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A serious answer - it is plausible that some feel the overall level of taxations, hence the amount they have to pay, is too high, while simultaneously believing that the realtive burden is fair.
(Having said that, I loved the observation that the percentage of people who think the tax burden is about right is close to the percentage of people who pay zero.)
Phil | 04.13.07 05:40 PM
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Well, you know what they say - 90% of the game is half mental.
Pablo | 04.13.07 07:53 PM
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When it comes to taxes, "Unfair" and "too much" aren't always the same thing.
If I were taking this poll, I would answer "too high" and "fair". I don't think I'm paying more than my share of taxes (compared to other people). I do think taxes (on everyone) are way too high in general.
Ben | 04.14.07 02:02 AM
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I'd interpret the second question as 'is the tax burden -- even though it's too high -- being fairly shared?'
After all, they already asked about the amount, so the second question must be about something different.
Another example of polls showing whatever you want them to. Eh.
kate q | 04.14.07 03:40 PM
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I would be willing to bet that property taxes and non-income taxes are probably seen as less fair.
college kid | 04.14.07 04:12 PM
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The fact that some fraction of the public regards the tax burden as being fairly distributed (what else could fair mean in this context?) is not inconsistent with the view that the tax burden is too large.
stan | 04.14.07 10:22 PM
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Sure its fair. About as fair as the collection of mafia protection money. Gee, thanks Uncle Sam for taking my money so you can blow it on personal travel, stupid programs, foriegn aid that amounts to welfare, UN dues, and a bloated payroll filled with union thugs and left wing activists, and oh yeah, welfare for 14,000,000 illegal immigrants.
Curt409 | 04.16.07 04:28 PM
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Taxes have been so friggin high and for so long I cant afford to work.
Seriously though, I made 70k last year and paid OVER 12k in federal taxes alone. Another 4500 in State. Not self employed, single, no children.
I got a $145 refund btw and have to pay the state 270...I didnt even get a reacharound.
As Penn and Teller would say,
BullS---!
OverTaxed | 04.22.07 01:50 PM
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Taxes are rediculous. If you are a married couple, with no kids, and a decent income....you get raped. Our W2's show a combined income of about 181k last year, our federal taxes withheld were almost 26k, and now, we owe another 9k. Give me a freakin break... Now I will be back into credit card debt just to pay my taxes. Doesnt seem right. I dont mind paying taxes, but seriously, its out of control.
Bryan | 01.28.08 03:01 PM
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