YOUR TAXES : IT CAME FROM WASHINGTON : READ THEIR LIPS

Do people vote their pocketbooks? Last year, Ernst & Whinney sponsored a telephone survey of 1,474 registered voters to shed some light on the issue. “It is something of an indictment of the 1986 tax revision,” said David A. Berenson, managing partner and director of tax policy and practice at Ernst & Whinney in Washington. “It also seems to indicate that the American electorate is much more sophisticated than the politicians give it credit for.” Yankelovich Clancy Shulman conducted the survey. Potential sampling error is plus or minus 3%.

Would you support higher corporate taxes even if it meant higher prices?

Yes 49%

No 43%

Not sure 8%

If federal taxes were to change, which alternative would you favor the most?

National sales or

value-added tax 42%

Increased income

taxes 24%

Increased Social

Security taxes 18%

Not sure 16%

Are you satisfied with the new income tax system or do you prefer the old system?

Prefer old system 44%

Satisfied with

new system 36%

Not sure 20%

Source: Ernst & Whinney