The FINANCIAL -- There are currently 17 states that offer a “sales tax holiday” – a brief
suspension of sales taxes – to encourage back-to-school shopping.
Most Americans nationwide support this idea.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of American Adults favor a so-called sales tax holiday, while 28% are opposed. Another 14% are not sure. These findings show little change from this time last year.
Just over half (52%) say they’re more likely to buy things during a sales tax holiday. Just 18% are less likely to purchase items during this holiday, and another 26% say it has no impact.
A plurality of Americans (45%) says their state briefly suspends sales taxes at this time of year to encourage back-to-school shopping. Almost as many (43%), however, do not live in a state that participates in a sales tax holiday. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided.
Many public school systems are following the lead of private schools by requiring students to wear uniforms. Only 36% of Americans believe school uniforms should be a requirement, while 53% disagree. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure. Opposition towards uniforms is up seven points from August 2008.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 6-7, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Twenty-four percent (24%) of Americans nationwide have children living at home who attend elementary or secondary school, while most (72%) do not.
Among those adults who do have children that attend elementary or secondary school, 40% say they plan to spend more on school clothing and back-to-school supplies than they did a year ago. That’s down 11 points from August of last year. Thirty-two percent (32%) say they’ll spend less this year, and another 24% plan to spend about the same amount.
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of adults who have kids that attend school are at least somewhat concerned about the safety of vaccinations for children. Forty percent (40%) are not concerned about the safety of these vaccines. These findings include 27% who are Very Concerned and 13% who are Not At All Concerned.
While the level of concern is high, most Americans with children who attend school (91%) say their child has received all the vaccines he or she is supposed to have.
In fact, 77% of schoolchildren parents are concerned that kids who do not receive all of their vaccinations will cause health problems for their peers, including 45% who are Very Concerned. Twenty-two percent (22%) are not concerned about this issue, including just one percent (1%) who are Not At All Concerned.
As summer vacation comes to an end, most of all Americans continue to believe that what you learn inside the classroom is more valuable than what’s learned on the outside.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Americans now believe children need to spend more time in school. However, two-out-of-three adults (66%) are against a 12-month school calendar.
A strong majority of adults think there's not enough discipline in public schools today and feel it's tougher for teachers to maintain control than it was when they were kids.
www.rasmussenreports.com
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