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Poll: Education backed, but not new school taxes

Prof. Emeritus Michael Kirst
Prof. Emeritus Michael Kirst

Poll: Education backed, but not new school taxes

Michael Kirst says tendency to blame students for low graduation rates is a troubling sign.

The public verdict is in and overwhelming: The better the education people get, the stronger the U.S. economy will be, a poll shows. But don't count on folks to support higher taxes to improve schools.

Eighty-eight percent say a country's education system has a major effect on its economic health. Nearly as many — 79 percent — say the U.S. economy would improve if all Americans had at least a two-year college degree, according to an Associated Press-Stanford University poll.

Yet when it comes to financing public school improvements, people tilt slightly against raising taxes to do so, with 47 percent opposing and 42 percent in support. The findings underscore the tensions confronting federal and local officials across the country balancing the competing pressures of strengthening education while not overburdening taxpayers at a time of economic weakness and huge federal and state budget deficits.

"Education is vitally important to our country today," said Ronald Bartlett, 66, of Marshall, Texas, who works at a mechanic's shop. But when it comes to higher taxes for schools he says no, adding, "We're continually pouring money into the government supposedly to improve education,and it's not improving. Too much government control is not good."

The consensus about education's impact on the country's economy differs little by gender, age, race or levels of education and income. The responses were similar to when the same questions were asked in a June 2008 AP-Knowledge Networks poll, though the number saying the economy would get a very large boost from better education has grown somewhat.

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