Most Americans would not pay higher taxes for specific public services in their states, but they are more supportive of paying for education and staffing law enforcement than supporting state employees and entitlement programs.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Adults shows that only 19% would be willing to pay higher taxes to avoid layoffs of state employees. Sixty-nine percent (69%) say they would not be willing to pay more in taxes for this reason. Another 11% are undecided.

Adults feel similarly when it comes to funding entitlement programs. Twenty-two percent (22%) would pay higher taxes to prevent cuts in entitlement programs for low-income Americans. Sixty-three percent (63%) say they would not pay more to keep these programs afloat. Another 15% are undecided.

Americans are slightly less opposed to paying higher taxes for education. Thirty-four percent (34%) say they are willing to pay higher taxes to provide funding for public education, but 54% say they are not. Another 12% aren’t sure.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say they are willing to pay higher taxes to increase the number of police and firemen in their communities. Still, 52% say they would not be willing to do so. Another 10% are not sure.

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 5-6, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

These results are less surprising when you consider consistent polling shows that Likely Voters nationwide prefer a government that provides fewer services but imposes lower taxes to one with more services and higher taxes 

Most U.S. voters (52%) continue to believe that tax increases will hurt the economy, while just 22% think tax increases are good for the economy. 

Women are slightly more supportive than men of paying higher taxes to fund education, public employees and police and fire. But there is little difference between men and women on paying to prevent cuts in entitlement programs.

Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major political party are strongly opposed to paying higher taxes for any of these services. Democrats support paying more for education and staffing police and firemen, but are less supportive of funding public employee protections and entitlement programs for lower income Americans.

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