Poll says most Texans support some tax hikes

More than two-thirds of Texans support raising some new taxes and using the state’s rainy day fund to patch budget shortfalls from the pandemic, a new survey by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs shows

The survey, conducted online this month, comes as lawmakers are in Austin to consider a raft of new bills, many of them centered on the health crisis and other recent events, including protests over police brutality and the November election.

In addition to overwhelming support for new taxes on e-cigarettes and vaping products, respondents heavily favor closing loopholes that allow large companies to lower their property taxes, raising the franchise tax on large businesses and legalizing casino gambling and marijuana, which would generate new tax revenue.

Just over 80 percent of respondents oppose a universal state income tax, but 62 percent support taxing income on those earning more than $1 million a year.

The poll included just over 1,300 respondents and had a plus-or-minus 2.7 percent margin of error.