G.O.P. Chief's Idea for Raising Alabama: Taxes

New York Slimes ^ | June 5, 2003 | DAVID M. HALBFINGER

[End Times Sentinel]

G.O.P. Chief's Idea for Raising Alabama: Taxes

By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

ONTGOMERY, Ala., June 3 — Alabama's new Republican governor, Bob Riley, styles himself after Ronald Reagan, complete with a pompadour and campaign photos that show him on horseback. Philosophically, too, he is an avowed Reaganite who says he never voted for a tax increase in six years in Congress and was once named its most conservative member.

Yet this same Mr. Riley has stunned his state and his party, and risked his political future, by calling for Alabama's largest tax increase ever: $1.3 billion, or 22 percent of the taxes the state now collects.

What is more, this conservative Republican wants not merely to raise taxes but to redistribute money from the wealthy to Alabama's working poor.

In one fell swoop, it seems, Mr. Riley is trying to overhaul what many here in Montgomery acknowledge is one of the nation's most dysfunctional state governments, and drag Alabama's finances, schools and prisons into the 21st century — if not, some might say, the 20th.

[JohnnyZ]

Riley is a Dope.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Recall him. You can. We just might do it here in California...if it can be done here, it can be done there. Just do it.

[blackdog]

RINO alert? Barf Alert? Benedict Arnold Alert?

I wish he'd get a little tickle in the ear from GWB, followed by a reaming by an 800lb homosexual gorilla.

[Sir Gawain]

The TRUTH About Alabama Taxes and Education

[TheConservator]

If he were governor of my state, I would no longer be a Republican.

Where the (&^( do these RINOs get off?

[MattinNJ]

followed by a reaming by an 800lb homosexual gorilla

Man, that's just mean.

[blackdog]

The governors of the states are going to raise taxes by not only the amount that federal taxes are cut, but add a few points on top of that.

Mark my words. The GWB tax relief package will be offset entirely by increases in state and local taxes. It was never your money anyway right?

[DugwayDuke]

The problem with Alabama is not the state constitution, it is a state legislature that is dominated by Paul Hubbard and the Alabama Education Association. The state legislature conspired with Hubbard and the AEA to write a budget with pay raises for school teachers that could only be paid for by eliminating 6000 teacher jobs. In effect, they told Riley: "Go ahead, we dare you to fire teachers."

This put Riley, who is a major conservative, in quite a dilemma. His choices fire teachers or raise taxes knowing the state legislature would be back next year with more unaffordable raises for state teachers and other pork.

Riley countered with a plan that would have funded the state budget ($650M) and added a poison pill. This pill included reforms unacceptable to the AEA and also included an additional $600M in taxes.

Looks to me like a standoff. The voters will reject this plan, there will be no tax increases, the AEA and Paul Hubbard will have egg on their faces. Perhaps then we can get a real reform package.

[blackdog]

Poor gorilla huh?

[joesnuffy]

Some Republicans are more republican than others

[votelife]

from my limited reading, Riley is conservative. He reminds people that Reagan campaigned anti-tax and then he raised them when he got in. I hope Alabama, which I am moving too, doesn't shoot themselves in the foot over this and elect a liberal next time. The solution is to get a better legislature.

[Joe Boucher]

HOw about instead of raising taxes you shrink Govt. there dumbass.
I've got some news for you there in Alabama, the folks for the most part aren't rich there and the last thing they need is to pay more taxes that go for more worthless govt.
Are you a RINO? A true republican is for smaller govt and lower taxes. Idiot.
Throw this bozo away.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Sundquist South...

[Princeliberty]

800 gorilla reeming?
Actually, Gorilla are very poorly equipped for
that they only have enough just to reproduce
not enough for anything beyond that.
They are generall in 1.5 inch to 1.75 inch
range.

This is true of all the ape family in fact.
They all are very small in that way.

I am one those nerds whose idea of good TV
is discovery channell and that kind of thing.

[Princeliberty]

Riley wimped out and totally surrendered to
Hubbert. He should have had a huge political
fight with Hubbert to reform government
and the people would have sided with Riley
in huge way.
Riley might have had his budget rejected
at first and it would have been long and ugly
fight but the Republicans would have all
supported him and the Democrats are divided
and probably could not have united behind
a single plan that could have gotten the
votes to override Riley's veto.
Republicans alone could uphold a veto
and none of them would have sided with Hubbert
against Riley.
So if Riley had the guts he could have eventually
won a fight to reform Government.
Instead he wimped out and tried to cut a deal
without fighting at all.
Instead he is giving poltical cover
form the Democrats to increase spending big time
and not cut any spending or do any real reform
and hammer the state with a massive tax increase.
And in the process insure he would not have
any hope of being re-elected.

[MainstreamConservative]

"Riley is a Dope."

Right now I'm going to give Riley the benefit of the doubt (and please don't hammer me as a RINO or liberal for that comment). Even The Gipper himself raised taxes in Claifornia when he was governor. Of course, when revenues incresed, he gave all of that money back, plus a little extra, in the form of tax rebates. If Riley does the same thing, I'm OK with it. If he raises taxes and dosen't make an effort (I don't expect the overwhelmingly democratic legislature to agree) to cut spending, then we have a problem and he will go down as a traitor. Otherwise, I'm cool with it, for now.

[blackdog]

But I'm sure the effort would be very unsettling.

You need a hobby dude!

[DugwayDuke]

You're right the solution is not more taxes but a better legislature. BTW, where are you moving to in Alabama. I live near Huntsville, AL.

[votelife]

moving to Birmingham