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DEL.ICIO.USEggs, grits and issues: Perdue on the Speaker’s tax plan, and negotiations over the budget start
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue reached out to the state Capitol press corps this morning for the first time in more than a year, hosting a breakfast of eggs, grits and conversation at the Silver Skillet diner on 14th Street.
Topics included his recent overnight, underwater stay on a nuclear sub, the shift from property taxes to a sales tax proposed by House Speaker Glenn Richardson, and negotiations with legislators over control of the state budget.
The good news: The governor said he sat down with House Speaker Glenn Richardson on Tuesday, after a long silence between the two. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and several other budget-writing lawmakers were witnesses.
Richardson’s tax plan would eliminate property taxes at both the state and local level, and would funnel all sales taxes through the central state government. While Perdue expressed empathy with some of Richardson’s aims, the governor said the loss of local control by counties and cities was a serious issue.
Said Perdue: “If President Bush and [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid and [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi called up today and said, ‘Governor we know you’ve got a sales tax and income down there, and Georgia’s doing pretty well. Florida’s in trouble, Michigan’s in trouble, California’s in trouble. If you’ll just send us your sales tax and income tax, we’ll make sure you get back what you need.’ I wouldn’t be very comfortable with that.”
On the political side of things, Perdue said he might not make a public pick in the Republican race for president, although the end of his term as chairman of the Republican Governors Association in December could give him more leeway.
But the governor did say that he’d talked to Newt Gingrich, who is to announce within the next few weeks whether he’ll enter the fray. “I think he’s essentially dismissed the idea, although I don’t want to speak for him,” Perdue said.
More to come.
Comments
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By SonnyGoAway
September 12, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this
I wish with all my might that Sonny would just GO AWAY!!! And take Bush and Cheney with you!!!
By Cherise Miller
September 12, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this
In our county, 83 percent of our property tax goes to the school system. One has to be 75 years of age before you can apply for the school tax elimination then it actually goes into effect when you are 76. This age varies with different counties. The age is lower in several other counties. In the fourth paragraph of this article, Gov. Perdue stated that the “loss of local CONTROL by counties and cities was a serious issue.” Of course it is a serious issue because whether our tax money is being controlled/managed by local, state, or federal governments, it is still being MISmanaged. These people have been used to massive amounts of tax money being available to them for whatever they want, and they will NOT easily give that up. I do think that a LOT of people know how to work the system to avoid paying their fair share which leaves the burden on the rest of us. I have no concrete solution except to say that our governments need to start handling wisely the tax money received, and residents need to GET INVOLVED in attending commission/council meetings and other board meetings. That’s the only way to find out what is going on and how to go about changing things. I wouldn’t be a bad idea to run for office on a board, if for nothing else than to be able to voice your opinions.
By Jim J
September 12, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this
You flat-taxers are worse than flat-earthers. There will be riots in the streets if you pass this thing and everyone faces an immediate 50-75 percent food price hike. Very few people in this broke-a* deep south state could afford that. But I tell you what, everyone’s got guns here. Trust me, I’ll point the rioting crowds in your direction.
By Taxpayer
September 12, 2007 2:42 PM | Link to this
I heard Gov. Huckabee on Saturday say that he work with his Democratic Speaker of the House to help impove things in Arkansas. He told the Speaker that if they worked together he would help to make him a popular man. WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IS OUR GOVERNOR WHO IS OF THE SAME PARTY WOULD WORK WITH OUR SPEAKER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF GEORGIA! Go away SONNY!!
By jared
September 12, 2007 11:56 PM | Link to this
You people seem like a very disturbing bunch. BTW- there is a rebate on the grocery tax for those that make up the so called “broke a* deep south.”