Tax reform.(Opinion Pulse)

President Bush wants to reform the federal tax system. Most Americans think it is overly complex, but they don't appear to be clamoring for a fundamental overhaul. Half think the system works pretty well and requires only minor changes. People are divided about whether they pay the right amount or too much in federal taxes. The property tax is the most disliked tax today.

 
Question: How complex ...? Do you think it is 
complex because ...? 
 
Federal tax 
system is very complex   50% 
Somewhat complex         36% 
Not too complex           8% 
Not at all complex        3% 
 
(Reasons given by those who said it 
was complex) 
 
There are so many different kinds of 
deductions and credits, and so many 
rules about how to take them           95% 
 
It requires too much record keeping    63 
There are too many different rates     61 
The forms are too hard to fill out     59 
 
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, National Public 
Radio, and Harvard University. February-March 2003. 
 
Note: Table made from bar graph. 
 
Question: Turning to taxes ...? 
 
Amount of federal income 
taxes I pay now is too high   49% 
Don't know                     3% 
Too low                        3% 
About right                   45% 
 
Source: Schulman, Ronca, Bucuvalas/ 
Time, September 2004. 
 
Note: Table made from pie chart. 
 
Question: Do you think ...? 
 
                  Works pretty well and   Needs major   Needs to be 
       ...