BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – New data show’s that many of you are in favor of eliminating the state sales tax on groceries rather than getting Governor Ivey’s proposed one-time tax rebate.
The Alabama Republican party surveyed 1,610 people and voters in both parties had similar answers. The results show that 70% of Republicans said they support getting rid of the state sales tax on groceries and 70% of Democrats also said they support cutting the sales tax on essential foods.
One tax cut option right now is providing $400 to $800 checks to tax payers, but in this survey, only 34% percent of Republicans said they supported the idea, while 49% percent of Democrats showed their support for the rebate.
Experts said when going over polling results, you have to look at how the question was asked.
“The results are just so astronomical in favor of cutting the grocery tax, as opposed to this one time tax rebate,” Todd Stacy with Alabama Daily News said. “I think it’s fair to say voters across the state really do support cutting the grocery tax and maybe aren’t sold on this idea of a one time tax rebate.”
Stacy said the poll didn’t explain exactly what the rebate was or tell how much it would be.
“One thing that poll really didn’t do is explain what that rebate was,” Stacy said. “How much it was or what it would really mean. Respondents had more info about cutting the grocery tax rather than the tax rebate.”
He said having more information on the payment could have changed some results from survey participants.
“Polling is all about how you ask the question and clearly on this poll, the Republican Party is on record supporting the grocery tax, so the question was directly directed to push voters in that direction,” Stacy said. “I’m not saying the results are inaccurate at all, but they line up more closely with a message that people who support a grocery tax cut are all about.”
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