Wednesday, August 22, 2007
A Regional Divide on Credit and Blame
The latest Quinipiac survey, like others it has done in the past, takes the pulse of Pennsylvania on the important issues of the day. Among the important topics in the recent poll are the state budget and taxes. These are always hot topics, and became even more so due to the contentious negotiations and the one-day shutdown of services due to the 2007-08 budget not being passed on time.
That budget came with no new tax increases, though there was plenty of talk about increases for transportation and possibly to pay for expanded property tax relief, much of it initiated by the Governor. He proposed a new oil profits tax to fund transportation, seven new taxes in all.
A question on the survey was “who do you give credit for no new taxes in the state budget—the Governor or the Legislature?”
Interestingly, but not surprisingly, responses were divided along partisan lines. But the bigger story is looking at the responses by region. 59 percent of respondents from Philadelphia gave the Governor credit for no new taxes. The regions of the northeast and southeast gave the Governor kudos at rates of higher than they gave the legislature, but not to the degree as the City of Brotherly Love.
It is almost the reverse situation west of the state capitol. In Allegheny County, 46% gave credit to the Legislature. That percentage was met in the Central region and exceeded by the Northwest region (56% gave credit to the legislature).
Also note that 23% of respondents from Philadelphia felt that the tax situation in Pennsylvania has gotten better since the Governor took office. Perhaps they have forgotten about the income tax increase in 2003. We knew that the Governor was immensely popular in Philadelphia, (as indicated by his 76% job approval rating) but not to the point of ignorance about taxes.
That budget came with no new tax increases, though there was plenty of talk about increases for transportation and possibly to pay for expanded property tax relief, much of it initiated by the Governor. He proposed a new oil profits tax to fund transportation, seven new taxes in all.
A question on the survey was “who do you give credit for no new taxes in the state budget—the Governor or the Legislature?”
Interestingly, but not surprisingly, responses were divided along partisan lines. But the bigger story is looking at the responses by region. 59 percent of respondents from Philadelphia gave the Governor credit for no new taxes. The regions of the northeast and southeast gave the Governor kudos at rates of higher than they gave the legislature, but not to the degree as the City of Brotherly Love.
It is almost the reverse situation west of the state capitol. In Allegheny County, 46% gave credit to the Legislature. That percentage was met in the Central region and exceeded by the Northwest region (56% gave credit to the legislature).
Also note that 23% of respondents from Philadelphia felt that the tax situation in Pennsylvania has gotten better since the Governor took office. Perhaps they have forgotten about the income tax increase in 2003. We knew that the Governor was immensely popular in Philadelphia, (as indicated by his 76% job approval rating) but not to the point of ignorance about taxes.
