Public opinion and American federalism: Perspectives on taxes, spending, and trust - An ACIR update

The research reported here updates for 1999 some public opinion data previo usly provided by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovermental Relations . The 1999 survey results indicate a general continuation of opinion trends established by the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Local government is viewed as giving citizens the most for their money, followed by state government and the federal government. Americans still regard the federal income tax a s the worst tax, followed by the local property tax. Likewise, Americans ex press the most trust and confidence in local government and the least trust and confidence in the federal government, although confidence in all gover nments increased over comparable data for 1992. Race and party identificati on and, in one case, region are significant factors differentiating opinion s about the federal, state, and local governments and their teres.