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Poll: 58 percent want payroll tax cut
By MJ Lee
12/15/11 

As Congress struggles to reach a deal on extending the payroll tax cut, a new poll shows that most Americans want Congress to pass the extension. 

According to an Associated Press-GfK survey, 58 percent of those surveyed said Congress should vote to continue the payroll tax reduction. Thirty-five percent said the temporary cut should be allowed to expire, while 7 percent said they weren’t sure what should happen. 

The poll showed that Democrats and independents were the strongest backers of continuing the payroll tax holiday, while Republicans were evenly divided. Among conservatives, 54 percent said they supported an extension, while 42 percent said the tax cut should expire. 

People with an annual income that is less than $50,000 were more in favor of the extension compared to higher-income individuals, while seniors were also more likely to support the extension more than young adults. 

The Associated Press-GfK poll was conducted Dec.8-12 among 1,000 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. 

The deadline to extend the payroll tax holiday is Jan. 1, but Congress is set to adjourn on Friday. On Wednesday, talks among Democrats about dropping the millionaires’ surtax were said to be intensifying. 

President Barack Obama has signaled that he would skip out on his family vacation to Hawaii and work through the holidays until Congress comes to a deal. 

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