Poll: Income taxes viewed positively

PRINCETON, N.J., April 14 (UPI) -- Just less than half of U.S. residents asked say the amount of federal income taxes they pay is "about right," a Gallup Poll indicated.

Forty-eight percent of respondents said they paid their fair share of taxes, while 46 percent of those asked said they paid too much, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said, noting it was one of the most positive assessments measured since 1956.

Typically, a majority of Americans say taxes are too high and very few say taxes are too low, Gallup said.

Since 1956, there has been only one other time when a higher percentage of Americans said their taxes were about right, Gallup said. After two rounds of tax cuts under former President George W. Bush in 2003, 50 percent said their tax bill was proper.

In the 2009 poll, Gallup said slim majorities of lower- and middle-income Americans said they pay about the right amount of taxes, while upper-income Americans indicated they pay too much.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,027 adults conducted April 6-9. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.