During her speech today in front of a Joint Session of the Arizona House & Senate, Governor Jan Brewer unveiled a 5 point plan to resolve the 3 Billion dollars in the red 2010 Arizona Budget crisis. I liked the first 4 points in her plan which among other things included proposed law changes, spending cuts, and tax reform to encourage job growth, but I have to strongly disagree with her 5th point - a temporary tax increase to raise an additional $1 Billion/yr.
Personally I'm against any tax increase at all, even a temporary one. The second we increase taxes even temporarily, many politicians would consider that new base of revenue to be the new minimum standard, and would likely call for preventing a "tax cut" in the future by making the new temporary tax increase a permanent one.
Additionally, the government is not the only entity facing tough times right now. The people & businesses who call Arizona home are also facing tough times. We're already struggling with reduced incomes & resources ourselves. Having Uncle Sam reach into our pockets to grab even more money than we've been planning for in a time like this would be a slap in the face.
Governor Brewer said during her speech today that unlike the Federal government our State government can't just print money to make up for monetary shortfalls. I would add that neither can the citizens & businesses of Arizona. Like ourselves, the government needs to reduce spending to come in line with revenue.
Contact Governor Brewer & let her know your thoughts.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
AZ: Governor Jan Brewer calls for Temporary Tax Increase
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Subscribe
4 comments:
"Temporary". Sure it is...
Just like the cameras are for "public saftey".
Here in Tampa, we were told the 1/2 cent tax hike to pay for the Buccaneer's Stadium (a private business, mind you) was temporary.
It opened in 1998. We still have the tax.
Temporary...like how the phone tax was a luxury on the ultra rich levied to help pay off the war debts of the Spanish-American war.
We still have phone taxes...
Show me a temporary tax and I'll show you an infinite energy machine.
Great points all. In fact, Federal income tax was a "temporary tax" meant only to pay for the costs of the Civil war. It taxed income at a rate of only 3%. I bet that seemed like a lot back then, but I'd LOVE to only pay a 3% income tax.
Post a Comment