McBride blasts rich as his tax plan hits poor [An Orlando columnist slams McMumble]

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | October 3, 2002 | Mike Thomas

[summer]

Orlando Sentinel Columnist

Mike Thomas

McBride blasts rich as his tax plan hits poor

Published October 3, 2002

Bill McBride criticizes Jeb Bush for giving billions in tax cuts to the wealthiest residents while cutting school programs.

"This state has $1 million and $6 million and $7 million homes and marinas filled with $100,000 boats," McBride said during the primaries. "Surely, we can find enough money to take care of and improve our public schools and protect our children."

But McBride isn't going after the mansion and yacht owners to fund the bulk of his proposed $1 billion increase in education .... much of his tax is a wealth transfer from households making less than $30,000 a year to households making more than $30,000 a year.

....If the purpose of taxes has become to change behavior, why not taxplaintiffs' attorneys? Then we get tort reform with our revenues.

Imposing the state's 6 percent sales tax on legal services would bring in $426 million, just about the amount McBride wants to increase teacher salaries next year. I think he would agree his former corporate clients are better able to pay this than the average smoker.

McBride's plan is bad on another level. He is funding education programs that will go up in cost each year -- higher teacher pay and lower class sizes, for example -- with a revenue source that will go down each year.

...This will leave McBride with an almost immediate budget shortfall. <

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.

Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel

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I draw the line at punishing working-class smokers, particularly by a corporate lawyer candidate who portrays himself as a champion of the working class.

….why not taxplaintiffs' attorneys? Then we get tort reform with our revenues.

Imposing the state's 6 percent sales tax on legal services would bring in $426 million, just about the amount McBride wants to increase teacher salaries next year. I think he would agree his former corporate clients are better able to pay this than the average smoker.

Yep. In addition, the average smoker (according to McMumble in the debate) is very "stressed out" under Gov Bush's administration -- so the smoker is probably puffing away even more!

BTW, here's some news I doubt McMumble will ever tell voters about Gov Bush -

FL ranks 3rd nationally in favorable Business Climate Survey.

Excerpt from above link:

Florida's impressive ranking beats previous years of the report conducted by New York-based marketing firm Development Counsellors International (DCI). In 1996, Florida was not among the top five list, while in 1999, the state ranked fifth. This year, of the 287 senior-level American corporate executives surveyed, the top 5 states with the best business climates were: Texas (25%), North Carolina (20%), Florida and South Carolina (18%), Georgia (15%). California and New York finished in the bottom five.

Also, check this out, hot off the press --


Gov Jeb Bush, who earned an "A" grade nationally in the Good Governors Guide - a bi-annual fiscal policy report - CLICK HERE.

An excerpt from above link:


published in the The National Review, October 2002

[summer]

See post #1. Thanks again for posting this info on a previous thread! :)

[summer]

For index.

[summer]

Well, znother surprise, folks! Here's Mike Thomas, making a great case AGAINST McMumble's tax plan - and, offering a much better solution: to tax the clients of corporate lawyers!

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znother = another

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FYI. :)

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for posting this information! Good stuff here!

[VRW Conspirator]

JEB Bump - McBride dump

[summer]

Thanks, there are a bunch of threads I would like to bump
and comment on, and maybe I'll have more time this weekend.
Thanks for your pings! :)

[summer]

bttt - very clever! :)

[Dog Gone]

How about not raising taxes at all?

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

Well -- that's why Gov Bush earned an "A." :)

[Green Knight]

Heh. Notice how only 2 Democrats scored B's? The rest scored a C and below.

[summer]

I also noticed the "F" grades were equally distributed - voters beware!!! :)

[Green Knight]

:P Yes, Republicans can be equally competent and incompetent, but Democrats appear to favor incompetence over competence, judging by that chart.

[SubMareener]

This is easy to add to all New Jersey threads. Cut out
<img src="http://www.freerepublic.com/images/demo.gif">
and paste it in you posts.

[windchime]

"Welcome to Florida. Fire up a Marlboro and buy a lottery ticket.

Do it for the kids."

I like Thomas' idea better:

"….why not taxplaintiffs' attorneys? Then we get tort reform with our revenues."

Mike Thomas has exposed the essence of McBride/McAuliffe. I hope he's widely read.

Thanks for posting, Summer.

[Goldwater Girl]

Great info here. Thanks, Summer.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, summer! I am sick of this class warfare which is nothing but a cover for soaking the middle class to make democrats feel good! Great post!