Most Virginians Favor Budget Cuts

According to a poll conducted by Christopher Newport University, most Virginians support budget cuts to close a multimillion dollars budget shortfall, not tax increases. Of those polled, 58 percent favored holding the line on taxes and reducing spending. 77 percent of Republicans, 56 percent of Independents, and even 46 percent of Democrats favor this approach.

Dr. Quentin Kidd, Director of the CNU Center for Public Policy summed up these findings well, saying, “Public attitude towards tax increases is complicated. The public does not want capricious tax increases and appears to understand the cyclical nature of the current budget shortfall, which is why a majority want to hold the line on taxing and just tighten our belts. This is what most people do when their household budget hits a shortfall.”

Indeed, instead of raising taxes during times of slower growth, government needs to reduce spending and cut costs, just as a family would do in economic tough times. If only opportunistic tax increasers could look beyond two-year budget cycles as the majority of Virginians can.

RTD reports on the poll.

Read the CNU news release on the poll for more details.