Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Estate Tax Repeal

            WASHINGTON — July 30, 1999 — The Americans Against Unfair Family Taxation (AAUFT) released a poll today that shows overwhelming public support for eliminating the estate tax. In a national survey taken by John McLaughlin this week, 76% of Americans would approve of eliminating the estate tax, while only 15% disapproved.

When asked whether they considered it “fair” or “unfair” that the federal government taxes your income when you receive it, and then taxes your estate when you die, a stunning 89% said it was unfair. Similarly, when asked whether it was “fair” or “unfair” that the federal government could take up to 60% of estates, an equally astonishing 93% said it was unfair.

Tim Hammonds, chairman of the Americans Against Unfair Family Taxation, and president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), hailed the poll as further proof that Americans view the estate tax as fundamentally unfair, and it should be repealed. “This poll confirms that the American people know an unfair tax when they see it,” Hammonds said. “The estate tax is nothing but double taxation at best, and federal expropriation at worst.”

This poll shows this is an issue that cuts across every economic group. Only 9% feel it affects only the wealthy, while over 87% believe it hurts all Americans. Hammonds said, “Supporters of the estate tax should be on notice that the class-warfare argument has no traction with voters.”

John McLaughlin & Associates conducted the poll on July 27, 1999. A projectable national sample of 1,000 people was surveyed.

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