Gov. Paul Cellucci's unpopularity is hobbling his efforts to
pass a ballot referendum to cut state income taxes just days before Massachusetts voters go to the polls, a new Boston
Herald/WCVB-TV Channel 5 poll shows.
Cellucci's tax-cut initiative, Question 4, continues to
suffer a steady erosion of support and now leads by only a 47-37 percent margin, according to the poll.
"In all likelihood this (referendum) will be very close,"
said R. Kelly Myers of RKM Research and Communications, who conducted the poll of 425 likely voters on Wednesday and
Thursday. "If it does pass, it will probably be by a thin margin and it's possible it won't pass." ...
Among voters who disapprove of Cellucci's performance, more
than half say they plan to vote against the tax cut.
"It (the ballot question) is tied to Paul Cellucci," Myers
said. "His relatively weak standing with voters is not helping to ensure passage of Question 4." ...
Cellucci has been the tax rollback's prime sponsor and chief
spokesman, debating the subject in televised exchanges with four potential Democratic gubernatorial opponents -- former
Democratic national chairman Steve Grossman, state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien, House
Speaker Thomas M. Finneran and Senate President Thomas F. Birmingham.
Cellucci's tax-cut proposal, which would lower state income
taxes from the current 5.85 percent to 5 percent over the next three years, has been under siege by a well-funded
opposition group made up mostly of unions.
The poll indicates that the heavy advertising barrage has
had a severe impact.
The Herald poll on Oct. 25 showed Question 4 leading by an
18-point margin, and a poll on Aug. 31 showed the referendum receiving more than 70 percent support.
"There is a closing of the gap," Myers said.
The new Herald/Channel 5 poll shows the question is split
along party lines, another sign of trouble for Cellucci.
Democrats, who make up 37 percent of the electorate, oppose
the tax cut by a 50-34 percent margin.
Independent voters, who comprise nearly half of all registered voters in Massachusetts, support
the question by a 52-31 percent margin.
Republicans back the initiative by an overwhelming margin,
but they make up only 14 percent of all voters.
Myers said if Cellucci continues to convince independent
voters to support the tax cut, it will win.
"There is still significant support among independent
voters," Myers said. "If that holds it could be the difference." ...