Most Americans do not believe the U.S. government needs more tax revenue and well over half say all tax increases should be subject to voter approval.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 52% of voters say the federal government does not need additional tax revenue for important national programs such as highway repairs and health care reform.

At the same time, 57% think all tax increases should be approved first by voters. Only 30% disagree with this approach. Many states already provide that protection for voters.

For the two presidential candidates, however, the survey’s overall findings appear to suggest that neither has a huge edge on the tax issue. While Republican John McCain has proposed maintaining the Bush tax cuts and cutting in other areas, his Democratic rival Barack Obama has proposed raising taxes on those earning more than $250,000 a year.

A plurality (48%) say they would vote for a candidate who said he would raise taxes only on the rich, while only 37% would vote for a candidate opposed to all tax increases. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

A separate survey found that 51% believe Obama will raise taxes if elected as opposed to 33% who believe that of a President McCain.

In the latest survey, 47% of Democrats say new tax revenues are needed while only 17% of Republicans agree. A whopping 73% of GOP voters say more taxes are not needed and 34% of Democrats agree with them. Fifty-six percent (56%) of unaffiliated voters say the government does not need more tax revenue, but 32% disagree.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of black voters as opposed to 33% of whites say the government needs more tax income.

Voters across virtually all income groups oppose additional taxes.

Voters’ responses also parallel the views of their party’s presidential candidate. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Republicans favor a candidate who opposes all tax increases, while a virtually identical 66% of Democrats like a candidate who will raise taxes only on the rich.

While 67% of Republicans also think voter approval should be necessary for all tax increases, only 53% of Democrats and 50% of unaffiliated voters agree.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters say Americans pay more than 25% of their income in local, state and federal taxes, but only a plurality of 43% think the government should be required to provide a taxpayer with an annual report showing how much he or she has paid.

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