Sir, – Pat Leahy reports on an opinion poll which indicates that voters have a preference for additional public spending over tax reductions (News, June 16th).
In future such surveys I think it would be interesting if those being surveyed were to be asked whether they pay taxes on income.
Of the order of 40 per cent of those of us with an earned income do not pay income tax. Add to this those with unearned income, and it seems reasonable to suggest that in excess of half of those with an income do not bear an income tax liability.
Those who do not pay income tax would have a natural preference for yet more spending, from which they will derive some benefit, as opposed to tax reductions, which cannot benefit them.
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It would, I think, be interesting to know the extent, if any, to which the preference for additional spending over tax cuts differs as between survey respondents who pay income tax and those who do not. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.