Gold Dome Live

By demwit

March 9, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this

Georgia should also raise the gas and property taxes too. And Hey! How about an illegal tax. They’re filing Georgia returns so the only way to get them is with a non-resident tax.

Oh, oh.., how about a yankee tax, anyone not born in the south, ya, thats the ticket. We could do awhile with all state taxes!!

By Joey Porter

March 9, 2009 3:00 PM | Link to this

Elmer fudd stop spending you effing morons. You are going to start a revolution you idiots.

screw you perdue. you are a damn chicken.

By Ted Lee

March 9, 2009 3:01 PM | Link to this

Please. Who in the hell is going to keep receipts for everything they buy at the grocery store for a whole year? I’m all for getting out of staters to pay more in taxes than residents, but come on. This will affect poor people who don’t have the intelligence or the inclination to track their expenses accurately for a whole year, and then remember to claim the deduction at tax time.

By You're Kidding

March 9, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this

Good Ole Chip… You are so right.. Taxing everyone including non-Georgia residents is such a great idea. And you are in the GA house why again??

How about another tax on superspeeders who are on their way to Kroger? That would make up the budget shortfall.

Back to important news, during our current economic climate has the house tackled important issues like the naming of the state lizard? Just checking…

By You're Kidding

March 9, 2009 3:05 PM | Link to this

demwit

We have to be careful. I hear the legislature is looking at taxing AJC bloggers…

By ab

March 9, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this

I agree with demwit, enough with the freaking taxes for crying out loud! Just kick the public when they are down why don’t you, people struggling to to get by and oh lets see what we can tax next, you know people got to eat so lets start there, be proud lawmakers!

By Thinker

March 9, 2009 3:10 PM | Link to this

What will they think of next? Taxing sleep time? Tax everyone who sleeps more than 4 hours a day? Especially tourist?

Chip, you’re a waste of air.

By Gov idiots

March 9, 2009 3:20 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe anyone would suggest to raise taxes now. So if you are living paycheck to paycheck or without a paycheck, how is raising taxes on grocerys now and giving a once a year tax credit going to help anyone other than the clucking state govt. Georgians already pay twice the tax of any other state so start repealling instead of creating you gold dome rich boys.

By Cut Spending

March 9, 2009 3:24 PM | Link to this

Or instead of taxing everybody to death, maybe the legislature can do some thing different such as cutting spending. Now that is a revelation.

By exgop

March 9, 2009 3:25 PM | Link to this

And I thought Republicans were against taxes. I swear, I have been paying more in taxes since Purdue took over and the house became republican. So much for “Conservative”.

By geekboy

March 9, 2009 3:28 PM | Link to this

I thought government would have to learn to live within its means like the rest of us, but instead the Legislature just looks for new ways to tax its citizens.

Why do we elect these people?

By Bob

March 9, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this

We need to use some of the lotto earnings to help our property taxes go down, this way we would have more money to spend, instead of saving each year to pay our property taxes. Our vacation now is staying home.

By artyc

March 9, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this

If georgia allowed liquor to be sold on sundays then you will have more takes moron state

By Tax

March 9, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

How about, instead of raising taxes, the legislators actually pay their taxes to help make up for the shortfalls.

By Betty Anderson

March 9, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe during a time when our citizen are having enough of a hard time supporting their families…and we are being taxed out of house and home, folks are loosing their homes to foreclosures…yes, by all mean, place more tax burdens on them and raise the tax on their food…..NOT!!! Who was the idiot that thought up this brilliant solution, oh yes, it’s those people working in the high paying goverment jobs that can afford yet another tax hike!

By govts fail

March 9, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

human ruled governments always fail

By Bud

March 9, 2009 3:32 PM | Link to this

The over paid, under work politicians should have voted for SUNDAY SALES. Their is your much need tax.

By Snafu

March 9, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this

Where do they find these idiot legislatures? Taxing groceries is ridiculous in the first place. How in the hell are they going to tax people when they are losing their jobs, can someone repeal these stupid politicians!

By Randy

March 9, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this

First of all, I thought Republicans were supposed to be against taxes Chucky boy. You Repubs just keep up the idiocy and even staunch Republicans like myself won’t be voting for you next time and this state will become Democratically controlled in no time.

Secondly, this tax bill has got to be one of the cruelest things I’ve seen proposed in a long time. Many people are already struggling to put food on the table for their families and you want to slap a tax on groceries? Even if “residents” get the money back on their tax returns they still have to pay the taxes upfront with money many of them don’t have and then wait a year to get the money back.

This has got to be joke! It’s political suicide for anyone would would even consider voting for this piece of junk bill. I think Chucky boy may have just lost his job with this one…

By Mac

March 9, 2009 3:36 PM | Link to this

No tax increases, please. Just cut spending. Thank you.

By GA resident

March 9, 2009 3:36 PM | Link to this

Enforce the laws that have been on the books for ages: you must register your vehicle and license when moving to another state. How many out of state tags do you see regularly on the roads? How much revenue is NOT being collected?

By Had Enough

March 9, 2009 3:36 PM | Link to this

Or I could move to Montana and become a radical and refuse to pay any taxes, ho bout them apples!

By Keon

March 9, 2009 3:38 PM | Link to this

WOW!!! It must be bad! Republicans are talking about RAINS TAXES?!?! Are they the one that believe in lowering taxes? How long did it take us to get rid of the grocery tax in Georgia? Now many people have be gotten to SHOP in Georgia because we don’t have the have grocery tax that Tennessee does? This is funny. He wants us to raise our taxes while at the same time our governor has stated he doesn’t want the president’s stimulus money! People are losing job having trouble finding new jobs that pay similar and he want to raise taxes on an ESSENTIAL! What is he thinking!?

By Sue

March 9, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this

Read my lips. No new taxes. No new taxes. No old taxes reapplied.

By Tony

March 9, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this

I will whole-heartedly support the yankee tax!

There is nothing wrong with adding the 4% tax back to groceries. It’s about time someone had a good idea.

By No!

March 9, 2009 3:41 PM | Link to this

Impeach Chip and Chuck. Perhaps there should be a tax on stupid!

By Joshgekko

March 9, 2009 3:41 PM | Link to this

It really is hogwash. You’d think that living in a state that has an income tax that the sales tax rates would be lower than the neighboring states without an income tax. Nope, the same if not higher in certain areas. Oh but what about property taxes, they must be lower right?!? Nope. This is the south the last time I checked, and I hear that we aren’t so much fans of taxes. Yet this state is in the top 1/3 of the nation in tax burden. With Florida ranked 47th and Tennessee ranked 44th (fiscal year 2008). What is so different between Georgia and those two? That is besides the over 2% more that we pay in taxes.

By J D Taxpayer

March 9, 2009 3:43 PM | Link to this

Will you tax my check from Obama?

By Get Real

March 9, 2009 3:43 PM | Link to this

As a Republican I can say this. “Chuck Sims you have chicken litter for brains.

By Smells

March 9, 2009 3:49 PM | Link to this

Cut the dam* spending! It’s just that simple. Just like a “normal” business would do. Oh, I keep forgetting, silly me, IT’S THE GOVENMENT!!

By Tim C.

March 9, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this

taxing groceries is a very bad idea right now, allow Sunday sales and the state can get the money from those who can still afford the luxury of alcohol

By T

March 9, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this

I love it. Next lets tax air consumption.

By Joanne

March 9, 2009 3:57 PM | Link to this

I can not believe that someone actually wrote that “poor people” do not have the intelligence to keep up with their receipts for a whole year. I guess if they are “poor” they must not have enough intelligence to be “middle class.” Aren’t stereotypes just great?

By fed up

March 9, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this

More taxes, you’ve got to be kidding. CUT SPENDING. Why is that so hard for these politicians to understand. We’re supposed to keep receipts to file with our taxes, give me a break. Taxes are complicated enough, not even Turbo Tax Tim can do his right. Same goes for Washington. We are supposedly getting a tax cut (95% of us) which amounts to $13.00 per week this year and $8.00 per week next year. That little amount will be wiped out and then some with the cap and trade BS that Washington has come up with. Anyone who uses gasoline, power, natural gas will be affected by this. Who doesn’t use one of these forms of energy? No one. It is truly time for a revolution (as someone else posted).

By William

March 9, 2009 4:01 PM | Link to this

We are leading to a world where only the rich will have the basic things necessary to live and food will be a high priced commodity.

How come we haven’t seen any of our voted officials taking a salary cut, do they teach in our colleges the only way to get money is to tax the poor? Such one dimensional thinking is what has put us in this state of depression.

The future is Solyent Green. Read the book or see the movie. It could happen…

By MIke

March 9, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this

Great. The party of tax cuts and deficit spending has decided that the way to generate more income is to tax groceries.

You just can’t make this stuff up! Oh, and it’s revenue “neutral”. Please……

He’re an idea, why don’t we LOWER SPENDING or just raise income taxes so that citizens would finally realize how much they are spending at the capitol!

By Joshgekko

March 9, 2009 4:09 PM | Link to this

Tim C. Most consider alcohol recession proof, people that drink will drink. People that don’t drink will drink to wash away the sorrow of job loss, house loss, insert loss or pain directly associated to a recession here. That said, I’m fully with you on Sunday sales instead of this trash to make up for the drop in receipts that goes hand in hand with people no longer spending at the clip that became the norm.

By Steve

March 9, 2009 4:11 PM | Link to this

First we watched the GOP implode at the Federal level, now it’s happening down here at the State level in Georgia.

Wow. I never thought the GOP would die this quickly, especially in this back-assed state.

By robert

March 9, 2009 4:14 PM | Link to this

ARE THEY REALLY SERIOUS???WHEY CANT THEY SPEND THEIR

TIME TRACKING DOWN THE DEADBEATS WHO DO NOT FILE AND

DO NOT PAY ANY TAXES.FIRST CHECK THE POLITCIANS

WHO ARE NOT PAYING.ALSO WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING

IDENTIFIED.I SURE WANT TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE TO BE

SURE I DONT VOTE FOR THEM AGAIN. THE AVERAGE JOE

WHO DID THIS WOULD BE PLACED ON THE MOST WANTED

LIST

By RGB

March 9, 2009 4:16 PM | Link to this

Politicians are too clever by half. They think that if they can establish a tax that “somebody else but not me” pays, they’ll be able to pass the tax and then spend the money to build more power.

Often they are right. Obama has demonized “the rich” and “corporations” and more than half the public believe we can put the screws to these two entities without affecting individuals. But “the rich” take risks and risk capital to create jobs. Ditto for corporations. And non-Georgia residents spend tourism and other dollars here too.

American citizens have become too ignorant to understand that they are killing the economic engine of our country by believing that somebody else will pay the bill for their “benefits.”

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Cough.

By J.D. Smith

March 9, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this

If the Georgia legislature wants to raise money how about making their own pay their back taxes. Oh, that’s right… They are all mostly Democrats. They rulle the roost right now. Before I pay any more to Georgia I want to see our lawmakers pay their own.

By FCM

March 9, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this

We need to go to the FAIR TAX (consumption based tax) FEDERALLY and LOCALLY.

By Paige

March 9, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this

Rep. Chuck Sims does not have an email address listed on the Georgia Legislature page, so I tried calling his office, only to discover the office number listed on his official webpage is his parents’ number..so there is no way I can tell this man that I think his proposed bill is absolutely unconscionable - even if the economy were not in the toilet.

What will be his next brilliant idea - to go back to the days when prescription drugs were taxed?

Food expenses are high enough. We are already paying for increased production costs, transportation costs and sometimes just greed costs.

It would be an evil act to inflict yet another increase on food: not a sin tax, not a luxury tax, but a tax on something we need to survive.

By Paige

March 9, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this

Rep. Chuck Sims does not have an email address listed on the Georgia Legislature page, so I tried calling his office, only to discover the office number listed on his official webpage is his parents’ number..so there is no way I can tell this man that I think his proposed bill is absolutely unconscionable - even if the economy were not in the toilet.

What will be his next brilliant idea - to go back to the days when prescription drugs were taxed?

Food expenses are high enough. We are already paying for increased production costs, transportation costs and sometimes just greed costs.

It would be an evil act to inflict yet another increase on food: not a sin tax, not a luxury tax, but a tax on something we need to survive.

By RGB

March 9, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this

William,

Rather than becoming similar to Solyent Green, this country is becoming like the movie “Idiocracy.”

And if you’re claiming that global warming and overpopulation will destroy us all, then perhaps you could’ve landed a role in “Idiocracy”.

By BonYogi

March 9, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this

Yet more taxes? Taxes on groceries! Here’s a novel idea. STOP SPENDING money the state (WE) does not have. Budget the year ahead; tax appropriately (SAVE); spend accordingly (BALANCE BUDGET). This works at my house, why not the state house? Oh, and politicians, YOU pay your fair share of the tax burden, too!

By BADDOG

March 9, 2009 4:23 PM | Link to this

WOW AND THE REBUG’S ARE THE ONES CRYING ABOUT TAXES GO FIGURE

By Sunny Perdue Da Guvner

March 9, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this

Shet up you flaming idiots and jest pay the grocery taxes already!!! If’n you don’t shet up, I’ll have my boys in the legislature tax you when you crap. That’s $1.00 a terd, $2.00 for 2 terds and so on. If all this fails cause you don’t pay up, me and the legislature boys will start peeing in all the gas pumps around the state. So pay up, you heah??

By Jim

March 9, 2009 4:26 PM | Link to this

Two idiots in a pod— Chuck Sims and Glenn Richardson!

By Boo

March 9, 2009 4:27 PM | Link to this

To JD Smith, I believe if you read the article, you would see that this is a REPUBLICAN bill. “The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Chuck Sims (R-Ambrose)”

By Sue

March 9, 2009 4:32 PM | Link to this

robert 11alive.com has a link to show you which georgia politicians are not paying taxes.

By el Gringo

March 9, 2009 4:38 PM | Link to this

Republicans, welcome to a smaller and leaner government. Now you have it, work with it.

By Boo

March 9, 2009 4:39 PM | Link to this

Why don’t we start taxing churches? (The separation between church and state has long since gone by the wayside.) Also, let’s start selling booze on Sunday. These are 2 good alternatives to taxing groceries.

By woodie

March 9, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this

At least this tax is a fair tax. The tobacco tax which took effect today targets a minority of consumers. A grocery tax targets everyone who eats in Georgia. I’m a bit tired of the tax game. If the government would focus on what they are supposed to, our taxes would be less instead of more. This is a weary game. Basically the government taxes anything they think they can get away with. I don’t think the framers of the Constitution had this in mind. But as I said, they will shake you down for whatever they can get away with.

By bob

March 9, 2009 4:42 PM | Link to this

Time to throw out the tax happy republicans….republican??? wait ..hold on…republicans…and taxes…….but they say they don’t believe in big gov and taxes…..go figure

By catlady

March 9, 2009 4:47 PM | Link to this

Let’s tax unemployement payments. Wait, we already do that!

I think we should have special taxes that out of staters and annoying people have to pay. Like if you can’t show your Georgia voting card and an ID, you pay an extra 2% sales tax. Florida residents would pay an extra 3%. Also, let’s tax welfare and food stamps and day care and doctor bills. I mean, let’s get folks while they are down—maybe they will be too weak to protest.

It is obvious to me that many of our legislators need to be put out to pasture, permanently!

Oh, yeah, and let’s quit giving the legislature extra credit for their 2 months of service toward retirement—count it two months, no more. That way, it will take 150 years in the legislature for them to be able to retire with a state of GA pension for 30 years work. Or, we could at least require 50 years’ service to draw a check, if it vests at 10 years. We will save all kinds of money.

If the legislators want, a lot of us would be glad to help them with suggestions.

By tuggle

March 9, 2009 4:51 PM | Link to this

sounds like disgruntled state republicans who can’t get their way in congress, so they will just tax the hell out of the georgia citizens…what will it be next…. a tax on jay-walking?!?!?!?

By Eleanor

March 9, 2009 4:53 PM | Link to this

99% of the churches are running a business so tax them; Legislator’s, give up your 173 dollars per day per diem and take a 10% cut in pay; to put a tax on food is absolutely outrageous but what do you expect from a bunch of Republicans who don’t give a fiddler’s darn about the little guy.

By c

March 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this

What,just what we need more taxes, shoot us us when we’re you damn Republicans. Everybody else is suffering except you idiots I guess. Let’s make the people spend more $$$$$ that they don’t have. No home,no job,now no food.

By say what?

March 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this

How about the $145 million for fishing in GA-repeal that. I keep hearing that Republicans are fiscally responsible but I cannot see it based on this cruel bunch of people who keep getting re-elected by saying they feel the pain of true Americans.
Clue on voting next time someone tells you that they are for “true Americans” know that they aren’t talking about you- only the rich who can afford their absurd policies and procedures.

By gomdawg

March 9, 2009 5:06 PM | Link to this

Do away with the State income tax and rise the taxes on gas like Florida did it works and the people coming through our State that buys gas or diesel will pay taxes for us.

By Shanel

March 9, 2009 5:07 PM | Link to this

Geez….I get sticker shock at the grocery store as it is!

Have they not heard??? News bulletin!!! Guys, UNEMPLOYMENT IS AT 8%!!!!

By Sassy Dogood

March 9, 2009 5:22 PM | Link to this

One must recall a time in history where people were being taxed on items that were deemed a necessity. Many are aware of the Boston Tea Party, but few seem to fully understand the extent of the taxation that was being done - on essentials, all history teaches is about tea and unfortunately, it takes away from the real meaning of what was occuring at the time.
We have recently had many things that are being “taxed”. One that greatly concerns me is a corporate enitity has been able to have something legislated in their favor, ie, GA Power was able to have legislation passed to allow them to increase our power bill - the public service commission was against this because of where the funding went - straight to the stock holders (check out to see just how this bill passed, it is sickening, someone should be calling for a formal investigation into Ethics, and have the SEC investigate for manipulation of stock). The grocery tax issue is just a smoke and mirror tactic - make everyone think that they are doing something to the other guy, but in reality, it is only the citizens who reside in GA that really pays. If you check out where GA sits in regards to how solvent it is - it isn’t, infact it is in the “red” zone for a budget shortfall according to The National Conference of State Legislators - this equates to a projected loss of 10% - 15% of the state’s general fund. Since there figures are reactionary based on historical data, they are going to grasp at straws over every opportunity to attempt to collect some form of tax. All the while, not really tightening their own belt.
Also, something that I don’t quite understand - what happened to the so called Surplus that GA had a couple of years back - hmmm - maybe it got spent on the fishing lake that no one can afford to actually go to and fish- oh wait, so many people are out of jobs - silly me, sure you have plenty of time to go fishing now.
I would take stock of everyone who has voted for increased taxes, but are not truly looking at true cost savings measures and put them on the street in this economic crisis - vote them out of office - maybe they need to understand what is really going on instead of burying their head in the sand.

By Hmmmmm

March 9, 2009 6:44 PM | Link to this

Let’s get RID of all the Politicians, at the state and ESPECIALLY at the federal level. They are all crooks!

By Mike

March 10, 2009 4:42 PM | Link to this

gomdawg: unfortunately we just don’t have as many visitors or tourists as Florida, so our sales tax would have to be really high to make up for no income tax (that is unless they did something reasonable like cutting spending; I know, I must be crazy to think that our pork loving government would do that).

By JMT

March 12, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this

How much $ does business rake in from out-of-state grocery shoppers plus the amt of revenue the stores get from GA residents near the borders of other states? Bet it is more than $250M py.

I do not know if any states that border GA have a grocery tax or not but let me tell you this…I live near the border of WV where there is a food tax…my state does NOT have a food tax & as a result there are TONS of cars in my state grocery store lots w/ WV plates (& there are very, very few WV ppl that report that under the “use tax” regs in WV). WV not long ago reduced, NOT eliminated, the food tax amt YET I have NOT seen a reduction in the # of WV cars over here shopping.

By JMT

March 12, 2009 2:21 PM | Link to this

How much $ does business rake in from out-of-state grocery shoppers plus the amt of revenue the stores get from GA residents near the borders of other states? Bet it is more than $250M py.

I do not know if any states that border GA have a grocery tax or not but let me tell you this…I live near the border of WV where there is a food tax…my state does NOT have a food tax & as a result there are TONS of cars in my state grocery store lots w/ WV plates (& there are very, very few WV ppl that report that under the “use tax” regs in WV). WV not long ago reduced, NOT eliminated, the food tax amt YET I have NOT seen a reduction in the # of WV cars over here shopping.