After cutting taxes, Trump looking to localities to raise revenue for infrastructure

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post

By John Wagner December 7 at 6:00 AM

Even as President Trump and Republicans in Congress seek to cut federal taxes, the White House has quietly come up with a very different plan for infrastructure: It wants to reward states and localities willing to raise taxes or other revenue to pay for new projects.

The dynamic is key to the Trump administration’s latest thinking on an infrastructure bill aimed at spurring a $1 trillion investment in the nation’s ailing roads, bridges, rail lines and airports. Originally touted by Trump as a first 100-days initiative — and one with the prospect for bipartisan support — it has stalled amid other bruising legislative battles.

The approach now being contemplated is considered innovative by some infrastructure experts but also carries considerable political and economic risks for Trump.

While some in his own party remain wary of any new spending, many state and local officials and Democrats in Congress would like to see a more robust federal investment. Washington would cover only $200 billion of the $1 trillion tab under the legislation being developed. Some also worry that taxes and fees raised at the local level could cancel out any potential benefits of a federal tax bill for their constituents.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/after-cutting-taxes-trump-looking-to-localities-to-raise-revenue-for-inftrastructure/2017/12/06/9078c230-d379-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Real agenda: punish poor localities & give them poorer infrastructure so they stay poor

This is another aspect of Robin Hood in reverse.

Widening the income & wealth inequality gap hurts the USA badly. It's already bad and heading to revolution if democratic methods and Democratic solutions are not applied.

[notdarkyet]

2. Yep.

[Thor_MN]

3. Almost as innovative as getting Mexico to pay for a border wall?

After giving away trillions to the wealthy, he wants someone else to raise taxes so he can claim >HIS< infrastructure plan is doing something? Fucking Moron thinks he can lease his name to infrastructure projects and advance them that way. If they built a Trump bridge over the Mississippi, I would drive hours to get to another one.

[alarimer]

4. Local taxes are MUCH more regressive than income taxes.

Especially sales taxes. Somehow when they calculate the total tax burden, they are usually left out. But in some places without state income taxes (like Texas) they are incredibly burdensome (on the order of 9-10% in some localities for some items).

[Bengus81]

5. There you go...spend your middle class tax cut on HIGHER TAXES.....

Hey Dems,hope Franken will vote with Republicans for crack pot SHIT like this.