76 Percent Say Charities Would Have Spent Their Tax Dollars As Well or Better than Government

The latest
Reason-Rupe poll finds that only 17 percent of Americans
think their tax dollars improved society more than had they given
that same amount of money to charity or invested it in private
businesses. A third say their tax money improved society less than
had private charities or businesses spent it, while 4 in 10 say it
really makes no difference. In sum, over 70 percent of Americans
say private charities or businesses would spend their tax dollars
as well as or better than government.

While these were asked as two separate questions, respondents
gave generally the same responses regardless of whether it were a
private charity or a private business.

Part of the reason so few Americans think their tax bill
improved society more than had they given that money to charity or
private business, is that they believe
government wastes 50 percent of its tax revenue.

Republicans (45 percent) were nearly twice as likely as
Democrats (23 percent) to say government spending their tax dollars
had less of a positive effect than had private charities spent the
money, with similar percentages if private businesses were spending
the money.

Those with higher levels of
education and income were considerably more likely to say charities
would improve society more with their tax dollars than government.
For instance, those with college degrees (44 percent) were nearly
twice as likely as those with high school diplomas (25 percent) to
say charities would have better spent the amount they paid in taxes
in 2013. A majority (53 percent) of households making more than
$110,000 a year said their tax money improved society less than had
they given the money to charity compared to 26 percent of those
making less than $45,000 a year.

Younger people are also more likely than older people to say
private charities would have improved society more with their tax
money: for instance, 40 percent of 18-24 year olds say it improved
society less compared to 22 percent of seniors (over age 65).

Even though few say government spending of tax dollars improves
society more than charities or private businesses, few
endorse “bending the rules” at tax time to reduce ones own tax
bill. Instead, most
(62 percent) would prefer changing the federal tax system to a flat
tax where everyone paid the same percentage of his or her
income, and of course government
to reduce its spending. 

Nationwide telephone poll conducted March 26-30 2014 interviewed
1003 adults on both mobile (503) and landline (500) phones, with a
margin of error +/- 3.6%. Princeton Survey Research Associates
International executed the nationwide Reason-Rupe survey. Columns
may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Full poll results,
detailed tables, and methodology found here. Sign
up for notifications of new releases of the
Reason-Rupe poll here.