Posted on 03/13/2009 1:22:59 PM PDT by mainestategop
State House: The income tax rate would fall and visitors would pay an additional $75 million annually under the plan. AUGUSTA — Democratic legislative leaders unveiled a tax reform package Thursday that would lower the state income tax rate while broadening the sales tax and increasing some other taxes.
Proponents said the package would shift taxes to out-of-state visitors while decreasing the tax burden for Maine residents. Broadening the sales tax would help Maine survive ups and downs in the overall economy, and a lower income tax could help attract businesses to the state, they said.
• Amusements and recreation, such as ski lift passes, movie tickets and bowling.
• Repair and maintenance services, such as the labor for vehicle repairs, watch repairs, etc., but not home repairs.
• Taxi and limousine service.
• Interstate telephone service.
• Personal property services, such as dry cleaning and pet grooming.
Some controversial items in the failed 2007 package weren't included this time, such as taxing personal care services (haircuts) and snacks, and increasing alcohol taxes.
Piotti said the net effect on revenue would be a wash – a $160 million decline in annual income tax revenue would be offset by a $160 million increase in revenue from the broader sales tax and the other tax increases.
And of course, they are going to go take their money elsewhere this summer. Goodbye Tourism, hello debt.
Libs can be so dumb. Instead of cutting burdens they are just shifting them. Not an answer at all.
They should just make the Bush family pay more. It's all Bush's fault, isn't it?
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