Americans Would Spend Tax Dollars on Infrastructure Over Defense, Health Care

Recent public opinion survey shows more Americans prioritize federal spending on education, helping the poor and infastructure over defense and heath care

In the recent public opinion survey, respondents ranked spending tax dollars on infrastructure ahead of both national defense and health care. Here is the question and ranking from the April 2014 Reason-Rupe Poll:

If you could designate your tax money to go to specific federal or state government programs, what would be your top one or two choices?

• Education............................................. 29%

• Help for the poor ................................ 13%

• Infrastructure....................................... 10%

• National Defense................................... 7%

• Health Care............................................ 7%

• Health Children/Youth........................... 4%

• Helping Seniors...................................... 3%

• Other ................................................... 29%

• Total .................................................. 100%

The Reason-Rupe April 2014 Poll interviewed 1,003 adults on both mobile (503) and landline (500) phones, including 274 respondents without landlines from March 26-30, 2014 from the continental United States and the District of Columbia using live telephone interviews. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.6%. For questions asked only of Form A respondents (n=526), the margin of error is +/- 5.0%. For Form B respondents (n=477), the margin of error is +/- 5.2%. Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) conducted the survey. Interviews were done in English by Princeton Data Source. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. When feasible, answer choices within questions were rotated or randomized. For more methodological information, please visit http://reason.com/reason-rupe-poll-methodology.

The poll questionnaire, crosstabs, and analysis can be found at reason.com/poll.

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