MONCTON, N.B. — According to a poll done by a local newspaper, residents aren’t in favor of a tax increase to fix up Metro Moncton’s roads.

The poll asked the question: “Given the current quality of roads in the Moncton area, would you agree to a tax increase in order to improve the quality of our roads?”

Of the respondents, 53 per cent said no and 40 per cent said yes. Seven per cent didn’t know.

Sharon Dixon of Corporate Research Associates in Moncton, which conducted the poll, said 401 area residents age 18 or older were questioned by phone at random between May 11 and May 14. These types of surveys are considered accurate within 4.9 per cent, 95 times out of 100.

Women were more likely than men to favor a tax increase to fund road repairs, with 43 per cent of females saying they liked the idea. Only 36 per cent of males were in agreement.

Moncton residents were most in favor of raising taxes to pay for roadwork, with 42 per cent agreeing with the idea. In Riverview only 37 favored a tax hike while in Dieppe the number was even lower, coming in at 33 per cent.

Those in the highest income bracket were most in favor of the idea, with 41 per cent of those earning than $35,000 per year giving their approval. However, 38 per cent of those earning less than $35,000 per year disapproved.