Almost three-quarters of residents of the Greater Toronto Area would support — to some degree — a 0.5 per cent regional sales tax dedicated to transit and infrastructure, a new poll suggests.

The online poll, conducted by Environics for the magazine spacing, found that 74 per cent supported the idea.

It shows 25 per cent of respondents "strongly agreed" with the regional sales tax similar to the system in Los Angeles where a 0.5 per cent increase in an L.A. county sales tax is earmarked solely for transit and infrastructure.

A further 49 per cent "somewhat agreed" with the idea of the sales tax, 17 per cent were "somewhat opposed" to the regional sales tax, with nine per cent "strongly opposed."

The online poll respondents were selected to provide a statistically representative sample, which was corrected in order to accurately reflect the demographic makeup of the regions.

A variant of the L.A-style sales tax was recently floated by a member of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's inner circle, Coun. Norm Kelly, as a way to fund construction of subways around the city.

But the mayor has repeatedly come out against the idea of a sales tax.

"I always opposed road tolls, retail tax, anything like that," he told reporters Wednesday.

The online poll asked 1,436 respondents the following question:

"In 2008, the Los Angeles regional government held a binding referendum that asked residents if they would support a 0.5 per cent increase to the L.A. County sales tax for 30 years, with the proceeds – estimated at around $40 billion – dedicated to rapid transit and some road infrastructure. If this sort of tax – with the proceeds clearly dedicated to transit and local infrastructure – was introduced in your municipality, would you support or oppose it?"

The mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was a champion of that measure that will stand for the next 30 years. He now wants to introduce a ballot measure in November that would extend the sales tax indefinitely.

Voters would have to approve the proposal by a two-thirds margin in order for it to be implemented.