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TAKE KNIFE TO STATE BUDGET, NOT TAXPAYERS: POLL

ALBANY – More New Yorkers back spending cuts than tax hikes in the battle over how to close next year’s projected $14 billion budget deficit, according to a poll released yesterday.

The statewide Quinnipiac survey found voters favor trimming state services over increasing taxes, 51 percent to 34 percent.

If taxes must go up, New Yorkers prefer sales tax hikes to income hikes, 64 percent to 28 percent.

Overall, the poll showed voters generally favor raising taxes on the other guy. Respondents overwhelming support a tax hike for those making more than $500,000 a year, 72 percent to 25 percent.

But support falls off dramatically (56 percent to 40 percent) when a tax hike those making $250,000 annually is considered.

The Legislature is currently considering a labor-backed bill that would raise $6 billion by doing just that.

Similarly, voters support Gov. Paterson’s proposals to raise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes, but oppose plans to hike levies on gasoline and create a “fat tax” on sugary sodas, the poll of 1,065 registered voters found.

It has a 3 percentage-point margin of error.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) said he supports a tax hike on “millionaires” to balance the budget.

Paterson and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) argue that such a tax hike would weaken the economy, although Paterson earlier this week said the rich would to “share in the sacrifice” in this year’s budget.

brendan.scott@nypost.com