As the deadline for filing personal income taxes approaches, 17% of American adults are at least Somewhat Concerned their taxes will be audited by the Internal Revenue Service. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 5% a Very Concerned that they will be the target of an audit.

The survey also found that 45% are Not Very Concerned about an audit while just 32% are Not at All Concerned.

Fear of an audit generally cuts across partisan and demographic lines. There is no difference between men and women on this question, little difference between people of different generations, and no difference between Investors and non-Investors. Black Americans are a bit more concerned than others and middle income Americans a bit less concerned. Thirteen percent (13%) of Republicans are at least Somewhat Concerned along with 19% of Democrats and 19% of those not affiliated with either major political party.

The survey also found that 62% of Americans believe tax cuts hurt the economy. Only 13% believe they help the economy while another 13% say they have no impact.

Looking at the opposite perspective, 52% believe that tax cuts help the economy while 21% believe that tax cuts hurt. Republicans, by a 68% to 15% margin, believe that tax cuts help the economy. Democrats are more evenly divided—37% of Nancy Pelosi’s party believe that tax cuts help while 28% say they hurt and 19% say they have no impact.

Among those not affiliated with either major political party, 55% believe that tax cuts help the economy while 19% believe they hurt.

Congress will have to wrestle with these views in the next couple of years as a number of popular tax cuts are scheduled to expire in 2010. If Congress does not act, taxes will automatically increase.

Over the past generation, tax politics have played a major role in American politics. President Ronald Reagan (R) made tax cuts the signature issue of both his campaign for the White House and his Administration. In 1984, former Vice President Walter Mondale (D) promised to raise taxes and lost 49 states to Reagan (barely carrying his home state of Minnesota). In 1988, then Vice President George Bush won the White House while encouraging Americans to “Read My Lips, No New Taxes.” In 1992, Bush lost his re-election bid largely because he broke that promise and raised taxes.

Currently, the war in Iraq trumps taxes and all other issues in American politics.

Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.