Georgia Republicans become the pro-tax party
"Republicans are now the pro-tax party in Georgia." - Stephen Moore
We haven't even made it through a week of the Georgia General Assembly, yet Republicans have proposed five different tax increases.
- 1.6 percent tax on hospital profits and insurance plans proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue.
- $1 per pack tax increase on cigarettes proposed by State Rep. Ron Stephens.
- Removal of exemption sales tax on groceries proposed by State Rep. Chuck Sims.
- $3 to $5 fee per patron of strip clubs proposed by State Sen. Jack Murphy.
- $25 billion sales tax increase over ten years to fund transportation proposed by State Rep. Vance Smith.
Perdue's proposal would cover a $208 million Medicaid shortfall, plus fund a $60 million statewide trauma network, so presumably a $268 million tax increase. Stephens claims his proposal would be a $400 million tax increase. Sims proposal would bring in around $1 billion.
That's nearly $1.7 billion in increased taxes proposed by Republicans before we even get to the $25 billion tax increase for transportation and it doesn't include the strip club tax (no numbers are available).
It leads you to this questions: Is there any difference between Republicans and Democrats in Georgia?
Comments
Will the strip club fee be payable at the doors by slipping it into the G-string of a state-employed stripper? People might actually pay that one if she's good-looking enough!
Posted by: Michael Seebeck | January 15, 2009 03:43 PM
After the fiasco of two MSM appointed left wing candidates for POTUS and the rape of the American taxpayer by a power drunk oligarchy masquerading as government,how can any sane person suffer the delusion a two party system still exists?
Posted by: flash_aid | January 15, 2009 09:01 PM
I agree completely. sitting at eggs and issues, it was startling to hear our Republican Speaker propose two tax increases within minutes of each other. No one ever really called him, or anyone else, out on that until you broke it down here, Pye.
Kudos to you for outlining just how ridiculous this is.
Posted by: Lavon | January 16, 2009 10:17 AM