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Posted on 10/25/2010 3:34:00 PM PDT by jazusamo
Just days before Washington state voters decide whether to impose a first-ever state tax on six-figure incomes, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has jumped into the middle of the fray.
With a week to go before the Washington ballot initiative, Perry, a Republican, has taken an unusually aggressive swipe at Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat. Perry sent letters Friday to 90 leading businesses in Washington – including Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks – inviting them to relocate to Texas, which also has no income tax.
"If Washington doesn't want your business, Texas does,” said Perry. “Texas has no personal income tax and no interest in getting one."
Most Washington business leaders are lined up against the proposal, which would impose a 5 percent tax on individuals earning $200,000 or more a year and a 9% tax on those making more than $500,000.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the state’s most prominent billionaire, has divided loyalties: his company is fighting the tax proposal on behalf of its many highly-paid workers, but the ballot initiative was sponsored by Gates father, a retired lawyer who argues that Washington needs the money to fund education. The software mogul himself has not taken a position on the tax, which stands to cost him tens of millions of dollars a year.
The latest poll says the anticipated vote on the income tax initiative is too close to call.
A Perry spokesman denied that the governor was meddling to defeat the Washington initiative, but conceded that the timing – a week before the vote – was no coincidence.
“It seemed like the right time to do it, as businesses are focused on the election and on the possibility of paying higher taxes,” said Ray Sullivan.
Washington and Texas are among seven states that impose no income tax, contributing to the fact that both are highly rated as places to conduct business.
It is common for governors to recruit individual companies to relocate but unusual to make a blanket indictment of the business climate in another state. It is also unusual for governors to try to influence the outcome of ballot initiatives in another state.
Gregoire, who supports the tax proposal, shrugged off Perry’s missives.
“We're serious about keeping businesses here and attracting new ones to the state,” she said in a written statement issue by her office. “We've consistently ranked in the top five in the Forbes list of best states to do business—ahead of Texas."
Gregoire spokesman Cory Curtis said the governor was not offended by Perry’s letters, but would not comment on whether the governor thought that Perry was trying to influence the vote. Asked what kind of relationship the conservative Perry and the liberal Gregoire have, Curtis said, “I don’t think they have any relationship.”
In Forbes’ latest rankings, Washington placed fifth among states with a positive business climate, while Texas ranked seventh. Washington ranked 28th for the lowest business costs, and Texas was slightly better – 26th. Surprisingly, Washington bested Texas for imposing a lighter regulatory burden on business, ranking 5th while Texas ranked 17th.
“We think that Washington will continue to be a better place [than Texas] to do business, whether or not the income tax initiative passes,” said Curtis.
Perry’s spokesman said that Texas was the top-ranked state by business cable network CNBC and CEO magazine, and in most rankings, rated higher than Washington.
Gregoire, like most Washington state politicians, has opposed the imposition of a state income tax, and never pushed it as governor. She has endorsed the ballot initiative, but vowed to veto any effort by the legislature to extend the tax to other taxpayers.
Dead on the money but she and her Rat supporters are to stupid to realize that. They think because they only hit the "rich" with this proposal it'll pass. Even a lot of Dems don't want that foot to get in the door.
Say WA? Evergreen State ping
Quick link: WA State Board
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.
Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.
Ok fine, but don’t tout business friendly Texas. Don’t cry when they move out of Texas.
Thank you, Governor Perry.
Maybe I will.
So is every other state.
Does it ever stop raining in the western part of WA??? That alone is the best reason to not live there.
Thxs for the ping. All those youngins in the state will regret letting this pass.
Are you kidding? We have lots of great weather!
However, it is raining today. :-)
lol, the Sound is magnificent though.
Yes it does, but that's a secret. But also understand that what to you is singularly "rain" comes in a near-infinite spectrum of droplet size, rate of fall, and several other factors. And I enjoy the variety.
If you need "dry" here's not a good place to be. But I moved here for the climate and love it.
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