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New Jersey voters are narrowly in favor of giving pet owners a state tax credit to help offset the costs of caring for their animals, while a majority oppose making it easier for movie theaters to obtain liquor licenses, according to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released July 15.
The poll found 45% of registered voters support a proposal that would provide tax credits for pet owners, while 41% oppose it. Support was slightly stronger among Democrats and younger voters.
The proposal, Assembly Bill 4995, sponsored by Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, R-Ocean, would provide a $300 state tax credit for eligible pet owners, along with up to $600 in additional tax credits for veterinary expenses.
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“Some people do think of their pets as being like children,” Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU poll, said in a statement. “So the logic is that if children get a tax credit, pets should as well.”
Cassino said the proposal appears to resonate with voters despite broader questions about tax policy.
“There are reasonable questions to be asked about how regressive such a tax break would be,” he said. “But people have pets, and people like money, so theories of taxation probably aren’t coming into how they’re thinking about this.”
The survey also found stronger resistance to legislation that would allow movie theaters to more easily acquire liquor licenses.
Thirty-eight percent of voters said they support the proposal, while 55% oppose it.
Assembly Bill 4666, which passed the Assembly last month and is pending in the Senate as S4357, would allow movie theaters to purchase liquor licenses for between $150,000 and $210,000, depending on certain conditions, regardless of whether licenses are otherwise available in the municipality.
Supporters, including theater owners, argue alcohol sales would provide a much-needed revenue stream as theaters continue recovering from the pandemic’s impact on movie attendance.
Opponents contend the proposal could reduce the value of liquor licenses already purchased by restaurants and other businesses, many of which paid significantly more under New Jersey’s existing licensing system.
According to the poll, support for the proposal did not differ significantly by political party but was highest among middle-aged voters and lower among older residents.
The questions were included as part of a survey experiment, and researchers cautioned that the results should be interpreted differently than those from the university’s standard polling.
The poll was conducted June 23-30 using text-to-web surveys sent to registered New Jersey voters. Braun Research surveyed 1,211 registered voters. After weighting the data to reflect the state’s registered voter population, the poll reported a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level after accounting for design effects.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Poll shows where NJ voters stand on pet tax credit, alcohol at movies
