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DEL.ICIO.USOlens and Johnson join the GOP pile-on against governor’s plan to erase property tax credits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Candidates for statewide office in 2010 should be sending Sonny Perdue a thank-you note.
The governor’s suggestion that the state solve a building deficit by doing away with a $428 million tax credit for homeowners — which could cause many local governments to send out a new round of tax bills — has provided a significant pulpit.
Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens, eyeing a 2010 race for governor, joined a list of Republican leaders throwing cold water on Perdue’s idea with an op-ed piece in today’s Marietta Daily Journal.
Says Olens:
Governments need to reduce spending rather than raise taxes or deflect their pain on sister governments. Surely with the state budget having risen approximately $6 billion in the last six years, other options are available.
Gov. Sonny Perdue has on six occasions retained his predecessor’s Homeowner’s Tax Relief Grant. The significant state revenue shortfall should not be the catalyst to force local governments to issue a second property tax bill that hinders our residents and businesses
In today’s AJC, Senate President pro tem Eric Johnson, who isn’t quite ready to announce for lieutenant governor, has penned a similar piece.
Says Johnson:
When revenues decline, government shouldn’t look to burden taxpayers to bail out its spending habit with a tax increase. They are already suffering in this economy. A tax increase is not the Republican way.
What makes the GOP brand different from Democrats’ is that Republicans stand for reducing the tax burden and cutting government bureaucracy. Voters know that no matter what, Republicans are more trustworthy with public funds and can always find wasteful spending. And when times get tough, the GOP can be trusted not to seek tax increases that hurt the economy and citizens.
Instead, as state policy-makers work with the governor to make tough choices about the projected $1.6 billion budget deficit, it should pledge no new taxes to balance the state’s spending plan.
Comments
By Dunwoody Dame
August 28, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
Erik - thanks again for co-sponsoring the legislation to raise our property taxes to pay for a new city of Dunwoody.
I’m sure it was not a “tough choice” for you since you don’t live here.
By Helen Crane
August 29, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
“Voters know that no matter what, Republicans are more trustworthy with public funds and can always find wasteful spending. And when times get tough, the GOP can be trusted not to seek tax increases that hurt the economy and citizens.”
If true Senator Johnson, then what party does Perdue (party switcher) represent? Maybe he should cancel a couple of “economic development” trips in order to balance the budget.