Poll: Rebuilding New Orleans High Priority

Wed Sep 14,11:47 PM ET

Americans say rebuilding New Orleans is more important to them than cutting taxes or changing Social Security, a poll found. Cutting taxes and changing Social Security were both priorities of the Bush administration before the storm.

Almost two-thirds, 63 percent, said rebuilding the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina is more important to them than changing Social Security, and almost three-fourths, 73 percent, said rebuilding the flooded city is more important to them than cutting taxes, according to a CBS-New York Times poll released Wednesday.

A large majority of Americans, 73 percent, said they think their taxes will increase as a result of Katrina. More than half of those polled said they were willing to pay more taxes to help with Katrina recovery, job training and housing for victims.

Three-fourths said they are not willing to pay more for gasoline to help with the recovery, however.