Minnesota Lawyer
Staff photo: Peter Bartz-Gallagher Gov. Mark Dayton
A new poll from KSTP/SurveyUSA shows Minnesotans are mostly opposed to Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposal to lower the sales tax rate and add it to more goods and services, but they support his move to increase income taxes on the state’s wealthiest earners.
According to the poll released Wednesday evening, 65 percent of Minnesotans support Dayton’s plan to hike income taxes by 2 points on the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans. Only 30 percent polled opposed the move. The plan, which was part of the governor’s January budget proposal, would raise more than $1 billion for the state’s coffers while lawmakers are looking to wipe out a $1.1 billion budget deficit.
The same can’t be said for the governor’s plan to lower the state’s sales tax rate from 6.875 percent to 5.5 percent while adding it to many business-to-business services and clothing purchases of $100 or more. Only 30 percent of those polled support the move to expand the sales tax to clothing and things like haircuts and auto repairs, while 55 percent of those polled were opposed. When it comes to adding the sales tax to business services such as legal and accounting work, 59 percent of those polled were opposed, 34 percent supported the move, and 8 percent said they weren’t sure.
The poll also dealt with gay marriage, showing a majority of those polled, 54 percent, are opposed to legalizing gay marriage, while 42 percent support the effort. Dayton came out in strong support of a move to legalize marriage for same-sex couples in his state of the state address on Wednesday night.
The Minnesota Legislature, now controlled by Democrats, has a 25 percent approval rating, according to the poll, while 60 percent disapprove and 15 percent are not sure. Dayton has a 50 percent approval rating, with 35 percent disapproving and 15 percent unsure. Dayton’s numbers are almost identical to a KSTP/SUSA poll conducted in February 2012.
The survey was conducted Feb. 1 – 5 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 to 4.4 percent, depending on the question.
This poll is both biased and absolutely pathetic. Stan Hubbard, who owns KSTP, is a staunch Republican activist and the KSTP/Survey USA gave similar numbers opposing gay marriage when the issue was on the ballot last year. The Governor’s sales tax may very well more popular than this poll suggests too.