Civitas in Charlotte

The Civitas Institute did a special Charlotte area poll this month. They say the full results will be up on the web Monday, but you can see some of the results now at their blog, Red Clay Citizen.

Chris Hayes in his post touched on the anti-tax sentiment in the poll, but how voters are still supporting the transit tax. See the questions below.

Do you think taxes in Mecklenburg County are:
Much too high - 39%
Somewhat too high - 31%
Just about right - 25%
Somewhat too low - 2%
Much too low - 1%

In 1999, voters in Mecklenburg County approved a 1/2 cent sales tax increase to support a light rail system and mass transit. Will you vote to repeal the 1/2 cent mass transit tax?
Yes - 39%
No - 54%
Not Sure - 7%

Would you support a real estate transfer tax in Mecklenburg County?
Yes - 16%
No - 66%
Not sure - 18%

These questions and results support the pattern on tax questions that I have been repeating for months. If you ask people “do you want this tax increase” (see the third question above) they will say NO. People do not like taxes (see first question)! Yet, if you explain what the tax increase is for, they are willing to support it for schools and education, and to a lesser extent transportation, and maybe a few other things.

So people don’t mind (as much) more taxes if its going to pay something they support. That’s why the transit tax is going to survive.