A majority of Maryland voters in a poll taken last week say the new 6 percent sales tax on computer services is a bad idea, and even more would favor its repeal if the tax costs the state jobs, as almost half in the poll fear.
The telephone poll by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies found 58 percent of the 807 registered voters contacted were opposed. That included a majority of Democrats (54 percent), Republicans (64 percent) and independents (64 percent). The opposition came from across the state, regardless of geography, gender or race.
Sixty-three percent favor repeal if businesses and jobs are driven from the state.
The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.
The results are hardly a surprise. Gonzales had conducted a poll in January that found almost half of Marylanders did not approve of the actions of the General Assembly?s special session, including raising the sales tax.
“The survey proves what we have been saying,” said Julie Coons of the Tech Council of Maryland, which paid for the poll. “We would hope that our legislators would get the message before it?s too late.”
