56% of Costco Members Favor Retail Sales Tax
The June 2005 issue of Costco Connection (the magazine for members of Costco) took a poll on the question “Should there be a national sales tax?” Here was the blurb they provided:
What if we didn’t have to any income tax, but instead paid a flat sales tax on just about everything we buy? No more Internal Revenue Service, and April 15 would be just another spring day. Such a change could be in the works. A bipartisan panel studying ways to reform the federal income tax code has until July 31 to issue recommendations, one of which will likely be a national sales tax. Proponents say a national sales tax of 23 percent could replace income tax, payroll tax, estate tax and corporate tax. Critics claim the sales tax rate would have to be closer to 30 percent and that it would hurt lower-income workers. They also point out that a large, unexpected sales tax could eat up savings accounts of those about to retire. What do you think?
This was followed by competing testimonials, for and against, from two experts in the field: Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) for and Willian Gale (Chair in Federal Economic Policy at the Brookings Institution and co-director of the Tax Policy Center) against.
The results of their poll? Of the Costco members who participated, 56% voted Yes and 44% voted No.
I don’t see any mention of how many members voted, so who knows how representative this is, as a nationwide trend. But it suggests that many Americans might have a naturally positive response to the FairTax idea — even with very limited information and despite some gusty criticism from the opposition.
If anyone is interested, I can type up and post the testimonials for and against, from Linder and Gale.
I’d be very interested in seeing the testimonials.
OK, I’ve posted the first one here: “William Gale’s Argument Against the FairTax.”
And now I’ve posted the second one here: “Rep. Linder’s Argument, at Costco, for the FairTax“