Poll: Majority want Congress to extend payroll-tax break

Lawmakers are trying to reach an agreement on a bill that extends the tax cut, unemployment benefits and a Medicare “doc fix” through, at the least, next year. 

The House passed a bill on Tuesday night, but the Senate is expected to make changes to the measure. 

When broken down by party, it is clear that Democrats and independents are the strongest backers of the tax cut, but a majority of Republicans back an extension, too. Of those asked, 54 percent of Republican respondents say they supported an extension, while 42 percent would let the tax break expire.

Those with annual incomes below $50,000 more strongly support the extension compared with higher-income respondents. Meanwhile, seniors more strongly supported the extension than younger groups. 

Without an agreement, payroll taxes will go back up to their normal level of 6.2 percent from the current 4.2 percent rate. 

The Associated Press-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 8-12 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.