At Least Half of North Carolinians Surveyed Support Income Tax Cap Amendment | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This post was originally published in Civitas's online edition.

    More North Carolina voters support than oppose a constitutional amendment reducing the state's income tax to a maximum allowable rate of 7 percent, the latest Civitas Institute poll finds.

    Fifty percent of voters said they supported the question on the Nov. 6 ballot, which would not allow the state's income tax rate to go over 7 percent. The income tax is currently capped at 10 percent. Thirty-seven percent opposed reducing the cap, and only 27 percent among them "strongly opposed" the amendment.

    In total:

• Strongly favor - 40%
• Somewhat favor - 10%
• Strongly oppose - 27%
• Somewhat oppose - 10%
• Unsure/Refused - 13%

    Republican, third party and undecided voters were most supportive, with more than 70 percent of those on both the generic state legislative and congressional ballots voting Republican or third party favoring the amendment. Roughly 60 percent of Democratic voters on each of those ballots said they opposed the amendment.

    North Carolina has historically relied on tax increases to sustain high spending levels. The income tax cap would be a way to rein in out-of-control spending, while alleviating the tax burden placed on residents. The poll indicates that voters are largely hopeful for the prospects of controlling spending and lowering taxes.

    The sample size for the survey was 500 likely voters in North Carolina and the margin of error is +/- 4.4 percent. Responses were gathered via landline and mobile telephone interviews live callers at a professional call center conducted. Harper Polling conducted the survey Oct. 18-21 2018.