Poll Shows Missourians Prefer Spending Tobacco Settlement Money To Raising Taxes, Cutting Programs

A new statewide survey shows Missourians would rather use tobacco settlement money to avoid a state spending shortfall than increase taxes or make more cuts in services and programs. The latest Zogby poll for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Missourians vote for “all of the above” when asked what programs should be cut if programs have to be cut to keep the budget balanced. 55 percent favor cuts spread among prisons, schools, social services and transportation. But they most-favor cuts in funding for prisons 15 percent and transportation – 10 percent – social services – 8 percent – and schools, 3 percent.