Voters Put Pennsylvania Officials In Poll Paradox
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - A new poll of Pennsylvania voters shows Governor Corbett and state lawmakers in a classic voter paradox.
The new Franklin and Marshall College Poll shows Pennsylvania voters don't want to increase the state sales tax or income tax, the taxes that would have to be hiked in order to raise the kind of revenue needed to close the state's more than $4 billion budget gap.
Voters also don't like the cuts to education Governor Corbett has proposed to help balance the budget.
"Don't raise sales tax, don't raise income tax, but you have to find a way to balance the budget without creating a lot of pain," says poll director Terry Madonna. "And that's the dilemma that the legislature and the governor face."
Madonna says voters do support "niche" taxes on natural gas extraction and cigars and smokeless tobacco. The poll also shows more voters support laying off state workers than support reducing their pay and benefits.
Reported by Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio
