The Next Step Toward Welfare Reform:

A Manual for Enacting Tax Credits

for Charitable Contributions

March 1998

 

 

(*1997-98) Appendix I: Public Opinion Survey Results

Question 1: Would you favor or oppose a proposal that gives taxpayers the right to deduct up to $200 from their state taxes if they give an amount up to $200 to a private charity that helps the poor?

Question 2: Would you be more inclined to give to charities that help the poor if you got a more generous tax break for giving?

Question 3: If you were to donate $100 to help the poor, to which one of the following would you be most likely to give all the money?

Question 4: If the government cut back on welfare spending, would you be more inclined to give to charities that help the poor?

(*1996) Appendix II: BHI Nonprofit Organization Survey (see below)

 

 

Appendix I: Public Opinion Survey Results

Question 1: Would you favor or oppose a proposal that gives taxpayers the right to deduct up to $200 from their state taxes if they give an amount up to $200 to a private charity that helps the poor?
FAVOR OPPOSE DON'T KNOW TOTAL
All Respondents 81% 14% 5% 590
GENDER        
Male 83% 12% 5% 293
Female 80% 15% 5% 297
AREA CODE        
617 80% 15% 5% 191
508 81% 13% 6% 326
413 84% 12% 3% 73
ANCESTRY        
African-American 67% 13% 20% 20
Asian-American 66% 14% 20% 14
Hispanic 64% 29% 7% 20
European 84% 12% 5% 426
Other 81% 19%   102
Don't Know 73%   27% 7
POLITICAL AFFILIATION        
Democrat 84% 11% 4% 141
Lean Democrat 81% 16% 3% 59
Independent/Other 80% 13% 7% 299
Lean Republican 85% 13% 2% 52
Republican 75% 20% 5% 39
AGE        
18-39 89% 8% 3% 246
40-59 79% 15% 7% 182
60 & Over 73% 22% 5% 134
EDUCATION        
High School or Less 77% 16% 7% 196
2 yrs/Some College 84% 13% 4% 143
College/Post-Graduate 84% 11% 5% 242
Refused 69% 23% 8% 9
INCOME        
30K & Under 80% 14% 6% 187
30K-50K 84% 14% 2% 142
50K & Over 87% 10% 3% 169
Don't Know/Refused 70% 18% 12% 91

This survey was conducted by the Beacon Hill Institute as part of its State-of-the-Household Project. It was completed under the supervision of Dr. John Blydenburgh of Clark University and with the assistance of Commonwealth Consulting. The survey of 590 Massachusetts residents was conducted October 4-8, 1997 and has a margin of error of + 4%.

 

Question 2: Would you be more inclined to give to charities that help the poor if you got a more generous tax break for giving?

 

 

       
  Yes No Don't Know  
All Respondents
69%
25%
6%
400
ANCESTORS        
African-American
70%
30%
  
11
Asian-American
53%
  
47%
2
Hispanic
100%
    
8
Euro-American
66%
28%
6%
306
Other
79%
17%
4%
64
Don't Know
71%
22%
7%
9
AGE        
18-24
66%
34%
  
38
25-34
76%
22%
1%
63
35-44
76%
19%
5%
87
45-54
68%
29%
3%
75
55-64
59%
33%
8%
51
65 & over
64%
22%
14%
78
Refused
75%
25%
  
8
YEARS SCHOOL        
High School
74%
19%
8%
17
High School
72%
21%
8%
97
Associates
65%
29%
6%
27
Some College
75%
20%
6%
96
College Graduate
73%
26%
1%
102
Post Graduate
49%
42%
8%
58
Refused
80%
20%
  
1
RELIGION        
Catholic
71%
23%
6%
213
Protestant
71%
26%
3%
81
Jewish
67%
33%
  
17
Another
61%
29%
10%
26
No Preference
60%
32%
8%
54
Other Preference
100%
    
5
Refused
68%
12%
20%
4
FAMILY INCOME        
$15K
63%
26%
10%
36
$15-$30K
69%
26%
5%
47
$30-$50K
80%
16%
5%
113
$50-$75K
68%
30%
2%
67
$75-$100K
75%
22%
3%
41
Over 100K
43%
50%
7%
31
Don't Know
48%
46%
6%
11
Refused
66%
24%
10%
55
GENDER        
Male
68%
27%
5%
201
Female
70%
24%
7%
199

 

Question 3: If you were to donate $100 to help the poor, to which one of the following would you be most likely to give all the money?

 

 

Cath Char Sal Army Habitat Food pant Some Other None Don't Know Total
All Respondents 21% 22% 12% 38% 3% 1% 3% 400
ANCESTORS                
African-American 24% 28% 5% 42%       11
Asian-American   53%         47% 2
Hispanic   20%   80%       8
Euro-American 21% 24% 12% 36% 3% 1% 3% 306
Other 27% 12% 10% 43% 4% 2% 3% 64
Don't Know 7% 35% 26% 16% 5%   11% 9
AGE                
18-24 4% 30% 21% 45%       38
25-34 13% 17% 19% 45% 2% 3% 2% 63
35-44 18% 18% 15% 41% 7%   2% 87
45-54 22% 19% 14% 42% 1%   3% 75
55-64 41% 24% 3% 31%     2% 51
65 & over 27% 31% 2% 26% 3% 4% 6% 78
Refused 13% 25% 13% 25% 13%   13% 8
YEARS SCHOOL                
High School 22% 42% 3% 24% 7% 3%   17
High School 24% 32% 3% 31% 3% 2% 4% 97
Associates 17% 18% 14% 47% 2%   3% 27
Some College 9% 29% 11% 43% 3% 2% 2% 96
College Graduate 28% 14% 12% 44% 1%   1% 102
Post Graduate 26% 5% 28% 31% 4%   7% 58
Refused   80%         20% 1
RELIGION                
Catholic 35% 18% 6% 33% 2% 2% 4% 213
Protestant 4% 39% 12% 45%       81
Jewish   8% 30% 48% 9%   6% 17
Another   30% 24% 37% 8%   1% 26
No Preference 7% 16% 22% 44% 5% 2% 3% 54
Other Preference 43% 25% 32%         5
Refused   38% 26% 37%       4
FAMILY INCOME                
$15K 14% 37% 8% 30% 2% 1% 8% 36
$15-$30K 21% 36% 4% 32% 4% 4%   47
$30-$50K 15% 25% 12% 39% 5% 1% 4% 113
$50-$75K 26% 19% 6% 43% 3% 2% 1% 67
$75-$100K 26% 9% 30% 36%       41
Over 100K 29% 9% 14% 42% 1%   4% 31
Don't Know 18%   9% 73%       11
Refused 25% 24% 13% 30% 2% 1% 5% 55
GENDER                
Male 23% 22% 10% 37% 3% 1% 5% 201
Female 19% 23% 13% 39% 3% 1% 1% 199

 

 

Question 4: If the government cut back on welfare spending, would you be more inclined to give to charities that help the poor?

 

 
  Yes No Don't Know Total
All Respondents 59% 29% 12% 400
ANCESTORS        
African-American 67% 16% 17% 11
Asian-American 53% 47%   2
Hispanic 70% 30%   8
Euro-American 58% 30% 12% 306
Other 61% 28% 11% 64
Don't Know 66% 29% 5% 9
AGE        
18-24 45% 46% 9% 38
25-34 69% 25% 5% 63
35-44 61% 30% 9% 87
45-54 49% 34% 16% 75
55-64 66% 23% 11% 51
65 & over 62% 21% 17% 78
Refused 50% 38% 13% 8
YEARS SCHOOL        
High School 63% 10% 27% 17
High School 72% 18% 10% 97
Associates 62% 26% 12% 27
Some College 55% 30% 15% 96
College Graduate 62% 31% 7% 102
Post Graduate 39% 48% 13% 58
Refused 80%   20% 1
RELIGION        
Catholic 62% 25% 13% 213
Protestant 67% 21% 12% 81
Jewish 34% 47% 19% 17
Another 63% 28% 9% 26
No Preference 48% 47% 5% 54
Other Preference 16% 75% 9% 5
Refused 88% 12%   4
FAMILY INCOME        
$15K 65% 28% 7% 36
$15-$30K 74% 13% 13% 47
$30-$50K 56% 29% 15% 113
$50-$75K 55% 37% 7% 67
$75-$100K 66% 26% 8% 41
Over 100K 51% 32% 17% 31
Don't know 52% 48%   11
Refused 57% 31% 12% 55
GENDER        
Male 54% 33% 13% 201
Female 65% 25% 11% 199

 

 

Questions 2 through 4, were part of a survey of 400 Massachusetts voters that was conducted from January 11-13, 1998 and that has a margin of error of + 4%. It was conducted for the Beacon Hill Institute under the supervision of Dr. John Blydenburgh of Clark University and with the assistance of Commonwealth Consulting. Numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

 

 

Appendix II: Beacon Hill Institute Nonprofit Organization Survey Results

Statement   Percentage Responding    
  Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
  1 2 3 4 5
1) Welfare recipients should work for their benefits. 28% 34% 30% 3% 5%
2) Government should be the provider of welfare programs. 11% 34% 26% 18% 11%
3) Private nonprofit organizations should be the sole provider of welfare programs. 5% 11% 24% 30% 30%
4) Instead of relying on welfare, teenage mothers should stay with their families. 2% 23% 57% 13% 5%
5) Volunteers are necessary for helping those in need. 60% 24% 13% 2% 2%
6) Neighbors should support those in need with cash or kind benefits. 17% 32% 40% 10% 2%
7) Benefits should be provided only to those unable to work or care for themselves. 13% 35% 21% 26% 5%
8) Compensation is the right incentive for recruiting foster parents. 2% 18% 53% 21% 6%
9) Religious affiliation is an important criterion for a recipient to escape poverty. 6% 19% 30% 21% 24%
10) Fathers of unwed mothers should be forced to support their children. 46% 29% 16% 5% 5%
11) Families should be forced to support unwed mothers under the age of 18. 3% 35% 44% 16% 2%
12) Some individuals need constant assistance. 27% 60% 8% 5% 0%
13) Volunteers are reliable workers. 25% 52% 17% 6% 0%
14) Tax credits for charitable contributions are a good idea. 70% 17% 13% 0% 0%
15) Our organization uses resources efficiently. 67% 25% 8% 0% 0%
16) Charities and nonprofit organizations should provide assistance to the poor. 47% 38% 14% 0% 2%
17) Volunteers save our organization money. 51% 40% 8% 2% 0%
18) Our budget is too small. 30% 19% 38% 10% 3%
19) We would increase our marketing efforts if a tax credit for contributions were enacted. 25% 29% 40% 5% 2%
20) Mutual fund raising efforts work best. 15% 32% 42% 11% 0%
21) Organizing volunteers is more trouble than it is worth. 2% 8% 17% 40% 33%
22) People would volunteer more if they knew our mission. 10% 43% 37% 11% 0%
23) People would volunteer more if they made contributions to our organizations. 6% 34% 40% 16% 3%
24) Donors should help organizations set policy. 3% 16% 29% 37% 16%
25) Our organization encourages donor oversight. 7% 30% 31% 26% 7%

Table of Contents

Introduction

Implications for Taxpayers and Donors (FAQ)

Implications for Nonprofit Organizations (FAQ)

Current and Proposed State Tax Credit Legislation (FAQ)

Model Legislation

Predicting Giving

 

 

The Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research focuses on federal, state and local economic policies as they affect Massachusetts citizens and businesses. The institute conducts research and educational programs to provide timely, concise and readable analyses that help voters, policy makers and opinion leaders understand today's leading public policy issues.

© March 1998 Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University

ISBN 1-886320-04-7

posted 3/27/98
revised on 10/14/98

HTML format revised on 9/26/02 16:02