Half say Income Tax
Cut Better Than Minimum Wage Increase
Opinion
split on corporate tax cut
Toronto, April
19th - In a random sampling
of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1126 Ontario voters, half (50%) say that eliminating any
provincial income tax would be better for minimum wage earners than increasing
their pay by $1.
A third (35%)
say that increasing their pay would be better than eliminating their provincial
income tax.
One-sixth (15%) are not sure.
Respondents most likely to say the
income tax cut would be better includes those aged 34 or younger (55%) or 35-44
(54%), males (58%) earning $20,000-$40,000 (57%), $60,000-$80,000 (54%), or
$80,000-$100,000 (56%), parents (58%), with some college or university (56%),
living in the 905 (55%), and supporting the PCs (68%).
Respondents most likely to say that
increasing the minimum wage by $1 per hour would be better includes those aged
45-54 (36%), 55-64 (38%), or 65+ (37%), females (40%), the least wealthy (46%),
the least educated (36%) or with a post-graduate degree (39%), living in
Toronto (43%), and supporting the Liberals (55%).
No
clear support for proposed corporate tax cut
4 in 10 (BTM2: 40%) say they disapprove
of the proposed tax cut, with one-quarter (26%) doing so strongly.
Just over a third (TOP2: 37%) say they
approve of the proposed tax cut, with a quarter doing so strongly.
One-fifth (18%) say they neither
approve nor disapprove, while few (5%) say they do not know.
“Opinion on eliminating income tax is divided
amongst the lowest earners, with the least wealthy more likely to support an
increase to the minimum wage, with those just above them saying they’d prefer
an elimination of their income tax,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff,
President of Forum Research. "Given this divide, it will be interesting to
see which proposal resonates more, though generally, the income tax is seen as
a better support for minimum wage earners, overall”
Lorne Bozinoff,
Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at
lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.
