(2002-12-22) -- Internet shoppers in the United States say they're "eager to pay" a proposed web sales tax to state governments like California's, according to a new survey.

The poll by the Coalition Of Underfunded Government Henchmen (COUGH) said 85 percent of respondents liked the idea of paying an additional six percent or more for each online purchase.

"Web shoppers seem excited about the idea that a single dollar could be taxed so many times," said an unnamed COUGH spokesman. "Web shoppers use aftertax dollars to buy things online, and the money goes to companies whose payrolls are taxed, and whose employees pay real estate and sales tax in their local communities. It's a win-win-win-win-win."

States like California, so well-managed that it's only $35 billion in the red this year, have proven to be good investments for taxpayers, the spokesman added. And Americans seem eager to pump in more cash.

"It's one of the great privileges of citizenship to know you are supporting high-quality state government programs in a state you may never even visit," the source said. "It's like UNICEF or the Salvation Army. It's a feel-good experience you never quite out live."