PORTLAND – Mainers support cutting services rather than raising taxes to balance the state’s budget shortfall, according to a statewide poll released Monday by Strategic Marketing Services.

A poll of 400 Maine adults found that 42 percent favored cutting programs to balance the budget, while just under 7 percent favored raising taxes. Thirty percent supported a mix of cuts and taxes. Just under 11 percent said they didn’t support either option, and 10 percent said they didn’t know.

The state is facing a shortfall that has been projected at about $1 billion for the next two-year budget cycle beginning in July.

Patrick Murphy, president of Strategic Marketing Services, said support for tax increases has fallen sharply in the past year. A year ago, nearly 20 percent of Mainers supported tax increases to balance the budget.

But, Murphy said, nobody knew a year ago how large the budget shortfall would be.

“It seems to have dented people’s enthusiasm for raising any taxes,” he said.

Strategic Marketing Services’ poll was taken Jan. 5 through Jan. 8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent. The poll represents Mainers’ opinions on a number of economic, business and public policy issues.

Of those who favor raising taxes to help balance the budget, 23 percent favored raising corporate income taxes, 19 percent supported increasing sales taxes and 7 percent favored raising personal income taxes. Forty-nine percent supported a combination of those taxes.

Poll respondents said that balancing the state budget should be the top priority of Gov. John Baldacci. They said developing a new health care plan in Maine should be the No. 2 priority.

Creating a state economic development and job-creation strategy was ranked as the third-top priority, followed by reforming Maine’s taxation system.

Support for casino gambling appears to be increasing, according to the poll.

The latest poll showed that 48.5 percent of Mainers supported the introduction of casino gambling in Maine, up from 43.5 percent in September and 39.3 percent last May.

The poll said 45.8 percent of Mainers opposed casino gambling in the state, with 5.8 percent undecided.

Murphy said the numbers could go up and down depending on the economy and other issues that arise. Mainers are likely to vote in a statewide referendum next November on whether to legalize casino gambling in the state.

“There might be people who hold their noses and say in the absence of any kind of economic initiative, they’re going to take a chance on this,” Murphy said.

Figures may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.