RALEIGH, N.C. - An overwhelming 70 percent of North Carolina voters disapprove of temporary taxes, according to the Civitas Institute's May DecisionMaker Poll. These responses reveal that, given the $1.1 billion state budget surplus, voters believe the temporary taxes are unnecessary.

The May poll was taken during the N.C. House of Representatives' initial debates on the budget for the next biennium (2008-09).

The number of those disapproving of the temporary taxes swelled to 80 percent when respondents considered the idea that "the state is preparing to spend most of the $300 million in temporary taxes on more than 100 special interest projects." In short: North Carolinians do not approve of pork.

Democrats are twice as likely to support the continuation of the temporary taxes than are Republicans, according to the poll.

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When asked if they believe revenues from the taxes will be spent on pork projects or education, 59 percent believe the taxes will be used on special interest spending. Only 22 percent believe it will be spent on education.

"Once again members of the General Assembly are ignoring the will of the people. North Carolinians want the temporary taxes repealed and for their legislators to be fiscally responsible," said Civitas President Jack Hawke.

Complete Questions

"Even though North Carolina will have a $1.1 billion budget surplus this year, the state House has continued $300 million in temporary taxes in order to increase spending over the $1.1 billion surplus. Do you approve or disapprove of this action?"

1. Approve ------------13%
2. Disapprove----------70%
3. Not Sure-------------17%


"The state is preparing to spend most of the $300 million in temporary taxes on more than 100 special interest projects, such as a drag racing hall of fame, a study of the horse industry in North Carolina and subsidizing a private culinary school. Do you support or oppose these expenditures?"

1. Support----------7%
2. Oppose---------84%
3. Not sure----------9%

"Some people say the extra $300 million in taxes will be used to increase funding for education. Others say the budget already has provided for education and these funds will actually be used for the type of pork barrel projects described above. Which do you believe?"

1. Used for education------------22%
2. Used for pork barrel----------59%
3. Not sure------------------------19%

METHODOLOGY: This study of 800 registered voters was conducted May 9-11, 2007 by TelOpinion Research of Alexandria, Va. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters who were interviewed had to have voted in the 2002 and 2004 general elections, as well as first time voters in the 2006 general election, and those who had voted in both 2004 and 2006 as newly registered voters.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that 95 percent of the time the results from 800 interviews (registered voters) will be within a +-3.7 percent of the "True Values".