RESULTS OF TAX DAY PENNY POLL

COALITION FOR PEACE ACTION RELEASES RESULTS OF TAX DAY “PENNY POLL” ON FEDERAL BUDGET PRIORITIES

The Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) today announced the results of its “Penny Poll” in front of the Palmer Square Post Office from 12:00-1:30 PM on April 16, the day after the filing deadline for income taxes, showing how area residents would like to see their federal tax dollars spent.

As people came to the post office, they were invited to express their opinion on how they would like their federal tax dollar to be spent.

Each of the 44 participants were given ten pennies and asked to distribute them between five tubes representing categories of federal spending: education, environment, health care, housing, and military. The results are below.

Category

Number of Pennies

Percent

Education

146

33

Health Care

103

23

Environment

88

20

Housing

70

16

Military

35

8

Participants were then handed a fact sheet showing that 57% of the “Discretionary Budget” for FY2014 was for military spending. Discretionary spending is what Congress can allocate for what it chooses each year, as distinct from entitlements. Discretionary Budget Funding for Education was just 6%, Health Care 5%; Environment 3%, and Housing 5%.

“This year’s results remain consistent with Penny Poll results from previous years. Taxpayers want more of their hard-earned tax dollars going to education, environment, and health care, and far less to military purposes. We encourage taxpayers to contact their US Representative and Senators to urge them to support more peaceful federal budget priorities,” said the Rev. Robert Moore, Executive Director of CFPA.