Voters continue to believe that tax cuts are good for the economy and tax hikes are bad, but for many that’s not the most important aspect of tax policy.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 47% believe it’s most important for tax policy to support economic growth. Nearly as many—44%--believe it’s more important to establish a policy in which everyone pays their fair share. Most Democrats favor an emphasis on fairness while most Republicans prefer a focus on economic growth. Unaffiliated voters are evenly divided.

The survey also found results reminiscent of Garrison Keillor’s world where everyone is above average--most voters believe they already pay more than their fair share of the tax burden. Fifty-three percent (53%) hold that view while 30% say they’re not paying more than they should. Voters who earn more than $60,000 annually are more likely than other voters to believe they’re paying too much.

Just 45% of voters under 30 or over 65 think they’re paying more than their fair share of the tax burden. A solid majority of those aged 40-64 think they’re paying too much.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters believe that tax cuts help the economy while just 15% believe they hurt. Looked at from the other perspective, 50% believe that increasing taxes will harm the economy while just 19% disagree.

Despite this, 48% would vote for a candidate who promised to raise taxes only on the rich while 41% would vote for a candidate who opposed all tax increases. This clearly reflects the importance of tax fairness rather than a simple focus on economic growth. Voters believe taxes are far more likely to go up with a President Obama rather than a President McCain. However, Obama continuously repeats his claim that he would not raise taxes on anybody making less than $250,000 annually. As a result, neither candidate has a significant advantage when it comes to voter trust on the tax issue.

The economy has emerged as the top issue of Election 2008 as consumer and investor confidence have fallen to record lows. Last month, for the first time ever, more workers said their employers were laying people off rather than hiring.

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