Crocodile tears are being shed.
As the deadline looms July 1 for the "temporary" sales tax increase to expire, and the House and Senate seem to be nowhere close to agreement on whether to extend the tax increase or not, even the supposed "conservative" Democratic House members are stooping to new lows of rhetoric to explain their insatiable desire for more revenue.
Check out this little gem from Rep. Jim Crawford (D-Granville):
"(A tax cut) looks good. It sounds good. But, down the road, folks will be starving, and won’t have any health care," Crawford said. "If that sunsets, I think it will be gone, and it may be another year or two, but we’ll be raising taxes again."
You’ve got to be kidding me. Boo-hoo.
Let’s just review a little:
The state budget is scheduled to be around $20.2 billion.
The surplus is scheduled to be around $1.4 billion.
The sales tax expiring will reduce tax collections by $300 million.
You’re telling me that by letting the people of North Carolina keep $300 million of their own money the right honorable elected officials can’t find enough room in a $20 billion budget to "not let people starve or have any health care?"
June 22, 2007
Dear Member of the 2007-2008 General Assembly,
The thousands of grassroots members of Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina are dedicated to free markets and limited government. The top concern for our members this session was to see that that the General Assembly followed through on a promise to allow the “temporary” higher sales and income taxes rates to expire. The taxpayers after years to broken promises are just a few days from rightful correction of these destructive higher tax rates.
Published reports indicate that lawmakers will pass a continuing resolution while a final budget is negotiated between House and Senate leaders.
AFP-NC will consider any vote for a continuing resolution that includes an extension of these higher tax rates as a vote to increases taxes in North Carolina.
This key vote will be included on our state legislative report card sent to members all across North Carolina
A vote for higher taxes limits long-term economic growth and inhibits private spending and investment. It is also a bait and switch with the taxpayers, who were told last year, these taxes would finally go away. Again the grassroots members of Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina call on you to reject any continuing resolution that includes an extension of the temporary quarter-cent sales tax and quarter point income tax.
Sincerely,
Francis De Luca
State Director
Americans for Prosperity – North Carolina