Poll: Tax Half-Millionaires, Quarter-Millionaires, and Millionaires

Ah, the wisdom of the people: a Quinnipiac poll shows 79 percent of New York state residents approve of increasing taxes on millionaires. In fact, they approve of tax hikes on people making half a mil, and even a quarter mil, though by slimmer margins. The Albany Times-Union headlines this news "voters would prefer budget cuts to new taxes," but they're from upstate and not subject to our cosmopolitan class envy. They're also right, but barely: 51 percent express such a sentiment. And though New Yorkers specifically disdain new gas and soda taxes, they approve of tax hikes on cigarettes and alcohol, and if we must raise taxes generally, they would prefer a sales tax to an increase in income tax. The first half of this poll, which showed Paterson getting his ass kicked, was released yesterday. Photo (cc) Tifotter.