If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

BUSINESS

64% Favor Lower Tax Rates With Fewer Deductions

Changes in the tax code are likely as Congress debates ways to cut the federal deficit, and most Americans are willing to sacrifice a few deductions in exchange for lower tax rates.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults think it’s better to have lower tax rates and very few deductions than to have higher rates and lots of deductions. Only 16% prefer higher tax rates and more deductions. Nineteen percent (19%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

But 49% of Americans oppose the elimination of all tax deductions in exchange for lower tax rates. Twenty-three percent (23%) like the idea, but another 29% aren’t sure.

A plurality also stops short of supporting the elimination of all tax deductions for higher income Americans in exchange for lower tax rates. Thirty-two percent (32%) think it’s a good idea to lower tax rates for all Americans and eliminate deductions for those who earn more than $100,000 a year, but 43% disagree. One-in-four adults (24%) are not sure if it’s a good idea or not.

Even more Americans oppose the idea of singling out certain businesses for special treatment. Just 21% think it’s better for the economy if the government provides targeted tax breaks to help certain companies and industries. But 66% say it’s more beneficial for the economy if the government treats all companies and industries on an equal basis. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 12-13, 2011 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.

Want to read more?

Become a Rasmussen Reader to read the article

Have an account?

Log In

Become a Reader

Subscribe

Rasmussen Reports is a media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion information.

We conduct public opinion polls on a variety of topics to inform our audience on events in the news and other topics of interest. To ensure editorial control and independence, we pay for the polls ourselves and generate revenue through the sale of subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertising. Nightly polling on politics, business and lifestyle topics provides the content to update the Rasmussen Reports web site many times each day. If it's in the news, it's in our polls. Additionally, the data drives a daily update newsletter and various media outlets across the country.

Some information, including the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and commentaries are available for free to the general public. Subscriptions are available for $4.95 a month or 34.95 a year that provide subscribers with exclusive access to more than 20 stories per week on upcoming elections, consumer confidence, and issues that affect us all. For those who are really into the numbers, Platinum Members can review demographic crosstabs and a full history of our data.

To learn more about our methodology, click here.