Stop the tax hike in Georgia!

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste ^ | 02-24-03 | Tom Schatz

[backhoe]

Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 12:48 PM

Subject: Stop the tax hike in Georgia!

Dear JOHN,

 

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue is trying to raise your taxes!  Instead of scouring the state budget for wasteful and inefficient spending to close a $620 million shortfall, Gov. Perdue has proposed increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol.  This latest tax hike proposal comes on the heels of the governor's failed bid to raise the property tax for homeowners.

 

Among other things, the governor's plan would boost the tax on cigarettes from 12 cents to 58 cents per pack and the price of a six-pack of beer by about 14 cents.  However, increased excise taxes on products like tobacco and alcohol have proven to bring many unintended consequences, such as illegal smuggling and a corresponding rise in crime.  They also disproportionately impact those living on low and fixed incomes. 

 

Higher taxes are not the answer to Georgia's budget crisis.  Rather, Gov. Perdue and state lawmakers must exercise spending restraint and cut bloated, non-essential programs to bring expenditures in line with existing revenue. 

 

Tell your state representative and senator to vote NO on the governor's tax hike proposal and instead cut wasteful spending!  Please click here to write to your state Assembly members today.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Tom Schatz

President, CCAGW

 

***

 

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation's largest taxpayer watchdog organization with more than one million members and supporters nationwide. CAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.  For more information about CAGW, visit the CAGW website at www.cagw.org.  To join today, please click here.

To tell a friend about CAGW today, please click here.

 

[meyer]

I think that what we're going to see here (OK, I hope) is a federal response. No, not a response of more funds, but a response of legislation addressing the issue of unfunded mandates. Many of the states' expenses, and this goes way beyond Georgia, are a direct result of Clinton policies that mandated certain duties on the states without providing federal funds with which to perform them.

Of course, several years of good times also contributed to the issue by allowing plenty of promises to be fulfilled. Georgia, under its last democRAT administration, has some kind of free college tuition program that promises to cost the taxpayers aplenty in the future.

As for Georgia's present governor, I want to think that this tax announcement is partly to alert the constituents that there is a budget problem. Requesting tax legislation is a great way to get someone's attention! I just hope he doesn't follow through.

[backhoe]

Appreciate your thoughtful comments.

[meyer]

Thanks. I'm but about 20 miles from the Georgia border. We have some budget issues here in Tennessee as well, though we don't have the income tax to deal with.

Do keep on top of Gov. Perdue and remind him that A: he's a Republican, and B: Budget cuts aren't out of the question. I think that the people of Georgia need to voice their desires here - let not only the governor, but the rest of the elected officials know that they don't want an increase. Perhaps that's what he's driving at in the long haul.

[backhoe]

I think that the people of Georgia need to voice their desires here - ... not only the governor, but the rest of the elected officials

Georgia has always been a hotbed of corrupt, good ole boy politicos, but I believe the citizens are starting to pay better attention to the actual nuts-and-bolts of how the government is run- and they aren't liking what they see.

I have seen a real surge in grassroots activism in the last year, and not coincidentally it is tied to the spread of information via the 'net and talk radio.

[oyez]

Sounds like Don Sunquist is loose in Georga.

[rastus macgill]

Zell killed the sales tax on food(state level anyways I still pay MARTA tax on food)I remember there was a bit of an uproar on the left because it did nothing for people on food stamps cause they didn't PAY for food-another giveaway to the "rich".
I'm afraid diminishing lottery revenues plus increasing education costs are going to lead to a big tax increase to "save" the Hope scholarship.People from Waycross to Mineral Springs will have to pony up their share for MARTA.
I voted for Sonny Perdue but I can't figure out why now.
I think it had something to do with the Flag,taxes,and transportation improvements(for roads NOT bikepaths,trolleys and choo choo trains!)
Well he has blown it on 2 out of 3 so far look for the hat trick.

[rastus macgill]

Raise taxes! quite the conservative aren't you.

[rastus macgill]

The scary thing is he might be worse- far worse.
I think Barnes was rated in the top 3 of Govs for fiscal responibility by the Cato institute.Top Dem in the country beat all but 2 or 3 small state western Republicans.

[Protagoras]

You may get thrown off of FreeRepublican.com for suggesting that.

[rastus macgill]

I feel like I wasted my vote for NOT voting for the Libertarian.I was going to because I thought Sonny was a loser but as I went to the polls (absentee) the Wellstone rally was breaking on talk radio.I had planned on voting for Chambliss and my state rep and "wasting" the rest of my ballot but fired up with righteous ire I figure Republican was more anti Democrat and voted for Sonny.

[rastus macgill]

Its true.I never liked ,trusted or voted for Roy Barnes but he is probably more conservative than at least half the Republican Governors in this country.Hell he was the Gov of Georgia nuff said right there.

[rastus macgill]

Not necessarily in Ga see my posts below. #28

[Paul C. Jesup]

Boy, Republican Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has been in office for LESS THAN two months and you all are giving him hatred and venom that it took Democrat Calf Governor Davis two YEARS to earn.

Former Gov Barnes almost destroy the 'Hope College Fund' be raiding it and he also wrecked the Georgia state budget.

Yes I hear Sonny wants to raise taxes, but he also wants to CUT wasteful state funding so he can balance the Georgia state budget.

At least give Sonny a couple of more months to see what he can do before you give him this much hatred and venom.And for the record I voted for him.

[rastus macgill]

"Former Gov Barnes almost destroy the 'Hope College Fund' be raiding it and he also wrecked the Georgia state budget."

Explain the above its news to me .I follow GA politics and news very closely.

"At least give Sonny a couple of more months"
I have to he was elected but at this rate he will run himself out of office before his only term is up.
You sound like you work for him .

[Paul C. Jesup]

You sound like you work for him.

Nope. Unlike you, I just give someone a chance before I criticize them. Give him a couple of more months before you judge him, that is not unreasonable.

[Lancey Howard]

At least give Sonny a couple of more months" I have to he was elected but at this rate he will run himself out of office before his only term is up. You sound like you work for him .

Reading through all your posts on this thread, you sound like you work for the scumbag Democrats. I agree with the posters who say give the new guy a chance.

[dansangel]

The scary thing is he might be worse- far worse.

I can see your point....but I hope to God you're wrong. Let's just hope it's "growing pains."

The happy tide of conservatism that we GA citizens rode after the November elections is starting to fade away.

[ErinsDaddy]

Yes I am a conservative!

Are you going to revoke my membership because I believe in "sin taxes"?

[rastus macgill]

I suppose you want heavy taxes on SUVs? After all the National Council of Churches has declared ownership "sinful".
If you believe taxes should be levied to control /coerce behavior instead of just raising revenue I don't have to revoke anything you are not a conservative.

[rastus macgill]

Sonny Perdue proposed raising property as well as "sin" taxes before he proposed any spending cuts.He has no chance in Hell with me after that.I will enjoy seeing him refered to as "racist GA Governor Sonny Perdue" for the rest of his short political career over the flag issue.