Poll: Partisan Split Over Tax Policies

By ALLISON KOPICKI
NYT

It may come as no surprise, but Americans are deeply split along party lines when it comes to federal tax policy.

A New York Times/CBS News poll released Tuesday found that a majority of Republicans approve of the current tax policy, while most Democrats and independents disapprove of taxing income from capital gains at a lower rate than earned income.

The survey was taken in the last several days as Mitt Romney faced intensifying criticism from his rivals to release his tax returns, resulting in his decision to disclose his 2010 information and his anticipated 2011 payments.

Just before the South Carolina primary last week, Mr. Romney announced that his marginal tax rate was closer to 15 percent – the rate levied on dividends and capital gains. A review by The New York Times of the returns released Tuesday showed that his tax rate for 2010 was closer to 14 percent, but is expected to be more than 15 percent for 2011.

(More here.)