FRAMINGHAM -- That Al Gore will take the Bay State is
practically a no-brainer, but a UMass poll also shows voters here are ready to put a muzzle on greyhound racing and more
money in their pockets.
Seventy-four percent of 400 registered voters polled by
phone support Question 4 on the Nov. 7 ballot, a plan to roll back the state income tax rate from 5.85 percent to 5 percent.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent.
Republicans, who have pushed for the cut, are pleased, but
not complacent.
"I think it shows that the people of Massachusetts know that
their state income tax is too high," said John Brockelman, executive director of the state Republican Party. "Polls go up
and polls go down but we are not going to take anything for granted."
Brockelman cited other polls with similar results as his
reasons for putting some stock in the numbers.
Gov. Paul Cellucci has made the income tax cut a personal
crusade.
The poll is not discouraging Jim St. George, a tax cut foe
and director of the Tax Equity Alliance of Massachusetts.
He believes the electorate isn't quite engaged with three
weeks to go.
"Obviously we are not in the lead yet," he said. "But people
haven't focused in on the issue yet either." ...