A new Fox News Poll released Wednesday shows a record number of voters — 70% — believe their federal taxes are too high, an 11-point increase from last March and the highest since the survey began asking the question in 2004. The poll, conducted March 20-23 under the direction of Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research, surveyed 1,001 registered voters with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.

The survey also found 75% of voters believe government spending is inefficient or wasteful, up 18 points from last year. Additionally, 64% of voters disapprove of how President Trump is handling taxes — a record high for this measure.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservatives have focused on government spending as the core problem, arguing that wasteful federal expenditures — not tax rates themselves — are the real issue. The poll shows 39% of Republicans cite government spending as their top concern about taxes, compared to just 21% of Democrats.

While 75% overall say government spending is wasteful, Republicans remain more likely to approve of the Trump administration's efforts to identify and cut that waste. The survey found 69% of Republicans give positive marks to the administration's handling of wasteful spending identification, compared to just 10% of Democrats and 20% of independents.

Some conservative commentators have argued the solution is not higher taxes on the wealthy but rather cutting federal spending and reducing the size of government. House Republicans have proposed various spending cuts as part of budget negotiations, though some proposals have faced opposition from within their own party.

The increase in those thinking spending is wasteful was seen across most demographics, with the biggest bumps among Democrats and independents. Three-quarters of Republicans think government spending is wasteful, down from more than 8 in 10 in March 2025.

What the Left Is Saying

Democrats and progressive economists have long argued that the tax system benefits the wealthy at the expense of working Americans. The Fox News Poll found 57% of Democrats cite concern that the rich are not paying their fair share as their top issue with federal taxes, compared to 40% of independents and just 15% of Republicans.

The poll data shows why Democrats frame budget and tax policy questions around the wealthy paying their fair share, said Chris Anderson, a Democrat who co-conducts the Fox News survey with Republican Daron Shaw. It's one of the only ways the party is competitive on these issues given public skepticism about government performance.

Progressive advocacy groups have renewed calls for closing corporate tax loopholes and implementing wealth taxes on the richest Americans. Senator Elizabeth Warren and other progressive lawmakers have championed the Ending Corporate Tax Havens Act and other legislation aimed at ensuring high-income earners pay more.

The poll shows dissatisfaction spans across party lines, with disapproval of Trump's tax handling up 9 points among Democrats since April 2025, 14 points among independents, and 9 points among Republicans.

What the Numbers Show

The Fox News Poll contains several significant data points: 70% say taxes are too high (up 11 points from March 2025); this surpasses the previous high of 64% in March 2024. The 11-point increase is the largest year-over-year jump since the question was first asked in 2004, when 51% felt taxes were too high.

On government waste: 75% say a great deal (53%) or almost all (22%) of government spending is inefficient, up 18 points from 57% last year. This represents the largest single-year increase in this measure.

On presidential handling: 64% disapprove of how Trump is handling taxes — a record high, up 11 points from last year. For Trump's efforts on identifying wasteful spending: 64% rate these efforts as only fair (20%) or poor (44%).

By demographic groups showing the highest increase in tax concern since 2025: voters with graduate degrees (+24 points), very liberal voters (+20), Democratic men (+19), moderates (+19), rural voters (+17), White voters without a college degree (+16), and women ages 45+ (+16).

Top concerns about federal income taxes: wealthy not paying enough (38%, down from 45% record high last year), government spending how tax dollars are used (29%), amount of taxes paid (14%), too many people not paying enough (10%), and system complexity (9%).

On AI use for taxes: 87% say they are not using AI to help with taxes this year, while 13% report they will or already have. Those most likely to use AI include Republicans under age 45 (29%), voters under 30 (23%), Hispanic voters (21%), Black voters (20%), and employed voters (19%).

The Bottom Line

The poll indicates heightened taxpayer anxiety as the April 15 tax filing deadline approaches. Both parties face pressure: Democrats must address widespread belief that taxes are too high while advancing their fair share messaging, while Republicans must defend against voter perception that Trump administration efforts to cut waste are falling short.

The 18-point jump in those viewing government spending as wasteful — the largest single-year increase since tracking began — suggests voters are increasingly skeptical of federal efficiency regardless of partisan affiliation. With roughly three-quarters of Democrats, Republicans, and independents agreeing a significant share of spending is wasteful, the political challenge becomes how each party proposes to address it.

The divergence between bipartisan agreement on the problem of waste and sharp partisan division over solutions — 90% of Democrats say Trump is not doing a good job cutting waste, while 69% of Republicans approve — suggests this issue will remain contested terrain as both parties develop their policy platforms ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.