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19 December 2007
Cato Institute’s Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors: 2006.
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6724
Arkansas
Mike Huckabee, Republican Legislature: Democratic
Final-Term Grade: F
Final Overall Grade: D
Thanks to a final term grade of F, Huckabee earns an overall grade of D for his entire governorship. Like many Republicans, his grades dropped the longer he stayed in office. In his first few years, he fought hard for a sweeping $70 million tax cut package that was the first broad-based tax cut in the state in more than 20 years. He even signed a bill to cut the state’s 6 percent capital gains tax—a significant progrowth accomplishment.
But nine days after being reelected in 2002, he proposed a sales tax increase to cover a budget deficit caused partly by large spending increases that he proposed and approved, including an expansion in Medicare eligibility that Huckabee made a centerpiece of his 1997 agenda. He agreed to a 3 percent income tax “surcharge” and a 25-cent cigarette tax increase. In response to a court order to increase spending on education, Huckabee proposed another sales tax increase. Huckabee wants to run for the GOP presidential nomination next year. He’s already been hailed as a viable big-government conservative candidate by some. That seems about right: Huckabee’s leadership has left taxpayers in Arkansas much worse off.
Apparently the good folks in Arkansas had a rough time of it with Mike Huckabee: Big Government Conservative.
Huckabee was in line with these governors:
Montana Brian Schweitzer (D)* 47 F
Alabama Bob Riley (R) 47 F
Washington Christine Gregoire (D)* 47 F
Arkansas Mike Huckabee (R) 46 F
Nevada Kenny Guinn (R) 46 F
Delaware Ruth Ann Minner (D)* 44 F
North Carolina Michael Easley (D)* 44 F
Arizona Janet Napolitano (D) 43 F
Louisiana Kathleen Blanco (D)* 43 F
Ohio Bob Taft (R) 53 C
Kentucky Ernie Fletcher (R) 53 C
Maryland Robert Ehrlich (R) 53 C
Vermont James Douglas (R) 53 C
Michigan Jennifer Granholm (D) 53 C
“Flanked and supported by movie strongman Chuck Norris, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee told a roomful of Washington reporters Thursday that he will defend his effort to educate the children of illegal immigrants “even if it costs me the election.”
Huckabee has been criticized by Mitt Romney and others in the GOP presidential race for supporting legislation in Arkansas that would have made all youngsters who graduate from state high schools eligible to compete for college scholarships, no matter what the legal status of their parents.
With Norris citing examples of children of illegal immigrants he has helped educate through his foundation, Huckabee declared that “my soul will not let me” compromise on that stand—despite the bill’s rejection in his state senate.
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/
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