April 15, 2010 and the Level of Taxes

Each April 15 produces a spate of polls on the public support or resistance to paying taxes. Gallup records that, after three decades of 60 percent or more of Americans say taxes were too high, the G.W. Bush era of tax cuts early in this century appeared to help drop the number to about half of the public.

And, it nearly equals those who say taxes were about right (only a sliver of 3% of Americans say taxes are too low). This year, 48 percent say taxes are too high and 45 percent about right.

Attitudes about taxes correspond to tax levels, or at least awareness of levels, from popular media, political discussion and actually paying taxes, especially income. The tax revolt so often predicted in 2009 has not started for most people. But one bit of news for those looking for signs that the Tea Party may have legs is that Gallup reports 63 percent of Americans expect their taxes to go up. Even a near majority of Democrats believe it’s likely.