WASHINGTON – New polling from Data for Progress and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI) shows that DC voters support making the tax system more equitable by increasing taxes on wealth. The survey of 724 likely voters in the District, conducted from March 19-27, found support for each of the following proposals:
- Creating a local Child Tax Credit for low- and middle-income families, +72 margin
- Enacting a Business Activity Tax, +60 margin
- Raising taxes on households with incomes exceeding $1 million, +59 margin
- Raising taxes on properties that have a taxable value above $1.5 million, +40 margin
Voters also support raising taxes on capital gains when given information on who such an increase would impact. When told that a capital gains tax increase would primarily impact the wealthiest 1 percent of households, a majority of voters (53 percent) support it.
The polling found that a strong majority of voters (72 percent) believe that the DC government should play a more active role in helping people in need. Voters are also almost three times more likely to align with the view that DC should raise taxes on the wealthy to correct for wealth inequality than the view that DC shouldn’t raise taxes on the wealthy because they already contribute enough.
“At a time when the mayor is proposing to slash critical programs, DC lawmakers should know that voters want to see them do more to support residents, not less,” said Erica Williams, Executive Director of DCFPI. “District voters clearly support raising taxes on wealth, high income, and businesses to increase our collective resources and ensure all pay their fair share. Now is the time to equitably raise revenue to not only keep programs and services whole in the budget, but to tackle the District’s longstanding racial and economic inequities.”
The new findings complement polling conducted last year by Data for Progress and DCFPI, which found that DC voters strongly support public investments that address economic hardship, including:
- Increasing food security, by a +89-point margin
- Expanding access to affordable child care, by a +88-point margin
- Building and preserving more affordable housing, and increasing housing support for people experiencing homelessness, both by a +86-point margin
- Creating a local child tax credit, by a +68-point margin