FAU Poll Reveals Americans Divided on Tax Reform Plans, Consider Trump Should Publish His Own Tax Returns First: Trump's Endorsement Assessment at 38 Percent in Countrywide Study

BOCA RATON, Fla., May 4: Americans are divided on U.S. President Donald Trump's tax alteration plans and approximately 65 out of a hundred consider he should publish his own tax returns prior to making substantial alterations to the tax policy, as stated by a countrywide study by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI).

After understanding several of Trump's tax suggestions, 34 percent reinforce his proposal, while 41 percent counter it and 25 percent are not certain. Over 40 percent differ with the concept that lessening taxes for upper earning persons and corporations can encourage the economy.

"Americans are a little bit skeptical of trickle-down economics," revealed Monica Escaleras, Ph.D., director of the BEPI, adding, “They don't believe cutting taxes to the wealthiest individuals and corporations will benefit households across all income levels."

Approximately half of the respondents contest a plan on lessening the chief peripheral tax bracket from 39.3 to 33 percent, while 53 percent back doubling the standard deduction that people can obtain on their income tax returns.      

Americans are divided on a plan to revoke the 3.8 percent tax on investment earnings, which generated $18.3 billion in 2015 to aid sponsor the Affordable Care Act, with 34 percent backing it, 37 percent contesting and 29 percent not certain. Over two-thirds of respondents back permitting mortgage interest to be subtracted from a person's taxable income.

"Historically, Americans have had very different views on the best approaches and what makes the tax system equitable," revealed Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., associate professor of political science at FAU and a research fellow of the Initiative, adding, "President Trump has a long way to go in order to convince Americans to follow the White House proposal."

Respondents also provided the president an endorsement rating of 38 percent. The countrywide online review of 812 Americans, 18 years of age and older, was run via Survey Sampling International (SSI) on April 28-30 and has a leeway of mistake or +/- 3.4 percent. Categorization by political party was 41 percent Democrats, 26 percent Republicans, 25 percent Independents and 8 percent not registered.