Capitol Updates

By Sammie

January 29, 2007 03:51 PM | Link to this

This is totally absurd. As an Educator, I would still have to pay taxes, but anyone making 6 figures (i.e. doctors, lawyers, CEO’s - let’s not talk about the Home Depot sweet deal) will be exempt from taxes. Now is it just me, or does this seem totally and morally WRONG?

By About Time

January 29, 2007 03:53 PM | Link to this

This is really good news. As someone planning to retire in the next 10 years, I was strongly considering a move to FL before starting to cash in my retirement savings. If GA can give me reason to stay here, they will reap far more benefits in the long run from me financially minus that taxes. This is smart and will increase revenues in other areas.

By SouthGaRebel

January 29, 2007 03:54 PM | Link to this

You call 80 to 90k per year rich? The ajc proves more and mroe with every character put on paper that they are delusional.

By SW in ATL

January 29, 2007 03:55 PM | Link to this

They’re cutting foreign language from elementary schools AND giving more money back to rich people? Who voted for this guy?

By Peyton Walters

January 29, 2007 03:55 PM | Link to this

It won’t be long before Sonny will be retired and serving on the boards of corporations. His retirement income will be substantial. Afterall he doubled his net worth during his first term. It will probably triple during his second. Again, the “ethics governor” is looking out for himself on the people’s backs. That’s what Sonny’s doing.

By mike

January 29, 2007 03:58 PM | Link to this

This is great news. After paying taxes all your life, you shouldn’t continue to be taxed while in retirement. Perdue is doing the right thing here.

By Rob

January 29, 2007 04:03 PM | Link to this

Screwing the middle class must be on the “Sonny Do” list cuz he’s trying to do it again!

By Philip

January 29, 2007 04:05 PM | Link to this

Essentially it rewards passive income, but continues to tax wage income - but makes it look good by extending it to ‘older americans’ - people who make 80k in retirement were living on passive income for a while.

By New Life Church

January 29, 2007 04:05 PM | Link to this

I didn’t know people making over $90,000 a year were struggling to pay for their drugs and healthcare. Poor rich people.

By Curious

January 29, 2007 04:06 PM | Link to this

Any idea what the phase-in is/if there will be a phase-in? Does the exemption go up from $35K year over year or does it go from $35K exempted to no taxes on investment income in 2013?

By Ralph

January 29, 2007 04:06 PM | Link to this

I voted for the big guy.. Perdue is got to be the dumbest governor since Zell Miller. Just another example of how dumb all Republicans are !

By ATLresident

January 29, 2007 04:09 PM | Link to this

SouthGaRebel - They didn’t say $80-$90k was rich, they said people making $80k - $90k are already getting the tax break, and they referred to people making over $90k as “upper income.”

By Tom

January 29, 2007 04:11 PM | Link to this

Sammie - as a fellow educator, I’m embaressed to be associated with someone with such poor reading comprehension skills.

The provisions cover people aged 65 and older - not everyone - and only retirement income.

I’m dumbfounded how anyone can be against this; the individuals this bill helps have already spent a lifetime paying taxes on monies they’ve earned. If they’re clearing $80k per year in retirement monies then they earned a lot of money before retirement and paid fairly high taxes on those earnings.

By aldread

January 29, 2007 04:12 PM | Link to this

You call 80 to 90k per year rich? The ajc proves more and mroe with every character put on paper that they are delusional.

We are talking about 80 to 90k per year in retirement income, that’s certainly in the 99.5th percentile. How much do you expect to retire on?

By Chris

January 29, 2007 04:12 PM | Link to this

It’s funny what people see in a tax exemption like this. What they should see is “here is a person/persons who invested their money in stocks, 401(k)’s, etc. while they were in the workforce. All the while paying more than their fair share of income taxes. Now that they no longer earn wages, they are given a tax exemption on their earnings from these investments.” This is perfectly fair. Those people have paid more than their fair share of taxes over the years.

But what they end up seeing is “why do the rich always get a break? If I have to pay, they should have to pay…wahwahwah.”

Maybe to make it fair they should tax all your food stamps and W.I.C. coupons too. Would that make you happy?

By James

January 29, 2007 04:13 PM | Link to this

Thanks Sonny, Just as you said you will look out for All Georgians, You do for the poor and you do for the Rich and you take care of the middle class. I am proud to have you as a Govenor who cares for Georgia citizens. Folks, he is a pretty good Sunday School Teacher too. Now how many states have a Governor that added that to his list of To Do’s!

By Atico

January 29, 2007 04:13 PM | Link to this

Another good tax cut because we have a Republican Governor. Thanks Sonny and legislators, now how about getting the word to Jackson County politicians to look after its seniors with a proper cut in School Taxes. It seems that Jackson Country lags in everything that would help one of its most vuneralbe groups, its senior citizens. Please ake some please to this backward county from the State House. It just may help some seniors in Jackson County to get off a dog food diet.

By Reddmessage

January 29, 2007 04:15 PM | Link to this

This is really good news. I’m 56 and deciding where to retire. This tax break is a good move to entice me to retire in GA and spend my money there, instead of other states.

By Delta Dan

January 29, 2007 04:15 PM | Link to this

This tax break must be another plot by the former Leo Mullins management at Delta. It wasn’t enough for Leo and Michelle to rob Georgia’s biggest corporation as it slid into bankruptcy by funneling money into their bankruptcy proof retirement packages. Leo’s gang decided that they like Georgia so much that they would make the entire state into their own personal tax haven. I thought we should be trying to get rid of crooks like that rather than encouraging them to live here.

I can hardly wait for GA to turn into another snowbird paradise without the beaches. Rather than building truck lanes on I-75/I-285, perhaps we should consider building 65+ lanes.

By New Life Church

January 29, 2007 04:16 PM | Link to this

If we stop the handouts Metro Atlanta provides South Georgia we can afford this.

Makes sense, right SouthGaRebel?

By Atico

January 29, 2007 04:17 PM | Link to this

Thanks Ralph for keeping the liberal name calling alive. If you guys can’t come up with a good reason against something, you call names. Shame on you far left libbies.

By IntelligentGABoy

January 29, 2007 04:20 PM | Link to this

I didn’t realize $80-$90K was rich. There are some stupid people on this blog.

By Pompano

January 29, 2007 04:21 PM | Link to this

Ralph wrote:

“Perdue is got to be the dumbest governor since Zell Miller.”

Not sure where Ralph got his education, but it’s quite ironic that someone without a full grasp of the English language would refer to someone as “dumb”.

The point of this bill is to help attract the higher-income snow-birds that flock to Fla (and support that state’s economy) to stop in GA instead. And an excellent time for this w/Fla’s housing market issues.

Who would we rather have moving into our state - illegals that pay no taxes and wreck the ecomony or stable self-supporting senior citizens?

By D

January 29, 2007 04:21 PM | Link to this

Please read an entire article before you comment. Did you miss the following paragraph: “A Perdue measure that passed in 2003 will already exempt the first $35,000 in retirement income - per person - when it is fully phased in next year. Social security is already not taxed. So couples with $80,000-$90,000 in retirement income will already be exempt under current state law. Perdue’s latest bill would exempt income above that.” I think your income, Mr./Ms. Educator, would fall in that bracket.

By KT

January 29, 2007 04:21 PM | Link to this

If you read it he actually says people who have 80-90 K in retirement money, meaning the money you have saved for retirement. I think it’s great. My husband and I work very hard at putting aside money for our retirement, because our chances of ever seeing our social security money are very slim. I support this 100 percent!

By Barbara Scruggs

January 29, 2007 04:21 PM | Link to this

Out of the mouths of the AJ/C always the word “rich”. That just goes to prove me right, the liberals try to rule with their words. Income tax should be eliminated period and have a FairTax, meaning sales tax. On another issues, government employees and organizations that receive taxpayers money should not be allowed to lobby at the Capitol. The department heads present the budet to the legislators and they will write the budget with the aid of the Governor. Then leave. enough aid.

By New Life Church

January 29, 2007 04:23 PM | Link to this

Did Sonny ever teach the part in the Bible where Jesus says sell your possessions and give the money to the poor?

By Hulak

January 29, 2007 04:25 PM | Link to this

Why are some of you people so against tax breaks? Do you want to pay more than you already pay? Do you think income should be taxed over and over again? Or do you think the evil rich people should pay everything and the rest should get by without paying a dime? Why don’t we institute a flat tax where everyone pays the same percentage? What’s unfair or morally wrong about that!!

By Oh the Humanity

January 29, 2007 04:30 PM | Link to this

The AJC and Jesus hate rich people.

By ds

January 29, 2007 04:30 PM | Link to this

It’s a start, but if the gov wants to seriously compete with Fl, then why didn’t he file a bill to completely eliminate the state income tax?

Once again, he is demonstrating an unwillingness to lead by taking what is essentially the safe route. Something that will curry favor with an increasingly older population, but will essentially do nothing to help the state’s economy in the long run.

By Delta Dan

January 29, 2007 04:35 PM | Link to this

Ms. Scruggs should that lobbying ban also apply to private companies that get taxpayers’s money? Every major corporation across this state sets up shop in the legislature every year and gets darn near everything they ask for. Every major corporation in this state also gets or has gotten some form of tax subsidy or another. As long as I am paying for their bloated corporate CEO salaries they shouldn’t be allowed to lobby at the state to keep dipping into the taxpayer’s coffers yet again. So its agreed no corporate lobby and no government employee lobby and everyone is happy.

By aldread

January 29, 2007 04:36 PM | Link to this

Fair Tax=

I make $60,000, I spend $50,000, I pay $11,500 tax, or 19.16% of my income in tax.

Warren Buffet makes say $800,000,000 (probably more), and he spends $20,000,000, (probably less). His tax is $4,600,000. His tax rate is .005%, what’s fair about that?

The middle class is left to pay for the national infrastructure that allows these people to become rich.

Wake up, America

By Ecclesiastes12

January 29, 2007 04:36 PM | Link to this

This is B.S.!! Kill the car tax so most everyone can benfit.

By joe

January 29, 2007 04:43 PM | Link to this

Just out of curiosity….when all the folks 65+ in the population of Georgia no longer pay any taxes, how will the state afford basic infrastructure & social services costs? Maybe w/ a 25% retail sales tax?

By ATLresident

January 29, 2007 04:44 PM | Link to this

By IntelligentGABoy - “I didn’t realize $80-$90K was rich. There are some stupid people on this blog.”

That’s not what they said. They said anyone making between $80k and $90k is ALREADY receiving a tax break.

And if you make over $90k in RETIREMENT INCOME, you more than likely ARE rich!

By kwn

January 29, 2007 04:45 PM | Link to this

Purdue has done some great things. This is awful. We shouldn’t allow this age discrimination. If you have to spend it, give it to young families in the form of housing credits. Most seniors already have their homes paid for, especially the retired ones with income between 100K and 150K. The younger generations are being saddled for an increasing social security burden, they are the ones that deserve the tax break. Messege for Sonny, do the right thing for you children and grandchildren instead of the vote buying thing. After all, the prescription benefit program didn’t do the Repubs any good. It was thank you very much now what else are you going to give us?

By Bunky

January 29, 2007 04:46 PM | Link to this

Sonny: You pander bear—-first it was the $100 teachers check before the election now a sop to the wealthy/selfish seniors. And who do you think will be making up the shortfall? Thanks,they should have named the new panda Sonyee in your honor!

By modest

January 29, 2007 04:46 PM | Link to this

Did any one buy stock in Kleenex? Cause I am sure all of yall are needing a tissue to catch all those tears. We should eliminate all income tax! Why do you all not see that!

By Corky Cobb

January 29, 2007 04:50 PM | Link to this

Who needs infrastructure? Third world countries do ok without it.

It took 2 hrs for me to go 20 miles last week. My family is just not that important to me. These tax breaks allow me to buy things. Sitting in traffic is just a trade off.

By kwn

January 29, 2007 04:51 PM | Link to this

This fallacy people use such as we deserve the money because we will probably not receive social security is absurd. Social Security is untouchable. GW found that out when he proposed an optional privitization of a fraction amount.

In reality, the burden will be passed on to your children and grandchildren. They will be the first generations to retire WORSE off than their parents because of the greedy spending and me me me attitudes of the baby boomer generation.

This is income redistribution PURE AND SIMPLE. If you Earn 100K as a retiree you should be taxed at the same rate as a person raising a family and earning 100K working 40-60hours a week

By Hulak

January 29, 2007 04:56 PM | Link to this

Aldread you give a very extreme example comparing yourself to someone like Warren Buffett but the point is that everyone should be treated fairly when it comes to taxation. I just received a year end bonus and paid somewhere in the range of 40+% in taxes; why should I pay a higher percentage of my income than you do?

By aldread

January 29, 2007 04:57 PM | Link to this

Corky Cobb:

Who needs infrastructure? Third world countries do ok without it. It took 2 hrs for me to go 20 miles last week.

In the 3rd world you’d most likely be walking…………

By Hulak

January 29, 2007 04:59 PM | Link to this

KWN,

What do you mean housing credits?? I believe we already do that, isn’t it called section 8!!

By ?????

January 29, 2007 05:00 PM | Link to this

Here we go again with more “special rights” you conservatives give each other.

By Ronda

January 29, 2007 05:00 PM | Link to this

This guy is really starting to p** me off..If you are making $90,000 in retirement income then you are doing pretty well. You can assume that those people don’t have the typical bills that 2 parent homes with children have such as house notes, college education, clothes, etc. So what makes them so special…strengthen our economy. Retirees will still flock to Florida - why because they have no ad valorem tax (hello Sonny…you listening) or income tax (not just for the special rich people which you will be one of very soon)

It’s Sonny do alright…what can Sonny do for himself.

By B

January 29, 2007 05:02 PM | Link to this

The AJC again trys to ruffle feathers with the headline. This isn’t a Rich -vs- Poor deal. The tax cut is for retirement income (ie investments) a Dr making $150k is going to pay taxes on the $150k. Any earnings on money he has put aside for retirement (and already paid taxes on once) will not be taxed. This a win for everyone. If the don’t pay taxes on it then they have more to spend so the state would collect more sales tax, of course those that can’t do math and the many liberals can’t or don’t want to understand this.

By aldread

January 29, 2007 05:06 PM | Link to this

Hulak:

Aldread you give a very extreme example comparing yourself to someone like Warren Buffett but the point is that everyone should be treated fairly when it comes to taxation. I just received a year end bonus and paid somewhere in the range of 40+% in taxes; why should I pay a higher percentage of my income than you do?

The problem with the fair tax is that the less you earn, the higher your effective tax rate.

It’s a Trojan horse for the rich.

The excess withheld form your bonus is refunded at the end of the tax year, it happens to everyone that receives them.

We tax lower incomes at a lower rate to help them survive. We are only as well off as the least of us.

By justin

January 29, 2007 05:09 PM | Link to this

Funny the first naysayer was an educator, in my county the educators don’t pay social security. Let me have some of that.

By Dee Tomlin

January 29, 2007 05:12 PM | Link to this

Don’t worry about who will make up the tax difference. I’m sure he will increase the tax on cigarettes again. If you think this tax break is a good idea, try to remember that the money will have to come from somewhere or someone else. Didn’t you see him in the debates? Did that not convince you that he is a total buffoon? He’s lost it (if, indeed he ever had it!)

By A. Bolsher

January 29, 2007 06:46 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe some of the comments above. So frustrating.

First, Social Security is in trouble. If you’re waiting for the government to take care of you in your old age and you’re under 50 then you’re out of your mind.

Second, people need to learn to take care of themselves. It’s not my job or the government’s job. Period.

Next, if you don’t earn enough money, unless you really cannot work for some legitimate reason (my cousin is a quadriplegic and works and everyone I know has ADHD and works - I mean a legitimate reason), then you need to stop b*** and work harder/longer/more often/get a new job/stop spending money you don’t have/get educated/stop drinking/put the crack pipe down/get off the couch/etc….

Hurrah! Any tax break is a good tax break! I especially love it when it benefits my Grandma and Mom. Two women who have worked all of their lives to save money just so they could take care of themselves as they got older and not rely on the government (or their kids kwn) to do it for them. Bravo!

One other thing for those people who think “Rich is bad” - what is wrong with someone working hard and being rewarded for that hard work??? Hard work, perseverance, and independence built this country and the lack of that could ruin it.

Also, just because I have worked hard to make a dollar does not mean you automatically should have one as well. Who ever thought that crazy idea up was an idiot. Income redistribution is for the lazy. Period.

Also, regarding wealth, there are things more important than money. My house isn’t as big as my best friend’s but she doesn’t have time at home with the kids. A decision I am personally responsible for and I’m planning my future accordingly. Importantly, I don’t expect that, because I decided to spend time with my kids and not work while she works her butt off and earns more that she should hand over her money and support me in my old age. How silly is that!?

If you don’t want to do what it takes to get more, then be happy with your own life and just be sure to plan ahead knowing that it is your job to take care of yourself…it’s not my Grandma’s job and not the government’s!!

By BigEd

January 30, 2007 08:27 AM | Link to this

Most people over 65 have worked and paid taxes their whole lives. They deserve a break and those who have been very successful don’t deserve to be treated any different than those who have not worked or underachieved. This is a great idea. The best idea would be to eleminate state taxes for everyone like Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

By DanL

January 31, 2007 08:40 AM | Link to this

Explain to me why we want to appeal to retired people on fixed incomes who don’t want to pay any taxes, yet expect free or reduced medical care? How does that help our state exactly? BTW, have you driven in Florida lately? Do we want to further compound our already congested streets with slow moving retirees looking for parking for their mobile fortresses?

By dana

February 7, 2007 02:49 PM | Link to this

Another benefit of retired folks moving into Georgia communities is that it will help hold down local school taxes/increases for everyone, as most do not have children and they would still have to pay the local school taxes.