With the last day for filing tax returns almost upon us, a new Harris Poll finds that most people would like to change the system and many people would like a "completely different" system. One such idea, advocated most often by Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes, is for a flat tax with everyone paying taxes "on the same percentage of their income over some minimum level." This idea sounds better than the current system to an almost two-to-one majority (60% to 35%). However, another idea, to replace part of the income tax with a nationwide sales tax, is opposed by a similar 57% to 34% majority.

The Harris Poll also finds that fully 59% of the public pay someone, a person or a firm, to prepare their taxes and that almost all of these people (96%) are either very (76%) or somewhat (20%) satisfied with their tax preparer. Only a tiny 3% are not satisfied.

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,008 adults surveyed between March 19 and 23, 1999.

Other interesting findings include:

• The more affluent people are the more likely they are to want to change the system. For example, those who want to "change to a completely different system" vary from 26% of people with incomes of $15,000 or less to 59% of those with incomes over $75,000.
• Republicans (50%) and Independents (47%) are more likely than Democrats (35%) to favor a "completely different system."
• The flat tax idea also appeals more strongly to the affluent and to Republicans and Independents. Fully 70% of those with incomes over $75,000, 68% of Republicans and 66% of Independents (compared to 46% of Democrats).
• A national sales tax, while opposed by majorities of all income groups and parties, also appeals more to the affluent, Republicans and Independents than to other groups.
• Satisfaction with the people or firms that prepare income tax increases with income; although very few people in all income levels are dissatisfied. Those who are "very satisfied" rise from 57% of people with incomes below $15,000 to 84% of those with incomes over $75,000.

There are several implications of these survey results.

One concerns the flat tax, the strong support for which may encourage more Republican presidential candidates to advocate it. The results may also encourage those who oppose a flat tax to explain, more effectively, why they do not support it.

The huge number of people who both use, and are satisfied with, the people or firms who prepare their taxes is truly remarkable. Few other professional services have only 3% of users who are dissatisfied.

"Do you think we should keep the existing income tax system, change it but not substantially or change to a completely different system of income tax?"

"Would you favor or oppose a flat tax whereby everybody, whatever they earned, would pay income taxes on the same percentage of their income over some minimum level?"

"Would you favor or oppose replacing part of the income tax with a nationwide sales tax, or not?"

"Do you prepare your own tax return or do you pay someone else to do it for you?"

"How satisfied are you with the person or organization that prepares your taxes?"

This Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States between March 19 to 23, among a nationwide cross section of 1,008 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with a sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is difficult or impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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