Clever GOP masks tax hike as swap

[Judi Lynn]

May 5, 2006, 11:26PM
Clever GOP masks tax hike as swap

By RICK CASEY
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

REPUBLICANS are so much smarter than Democrats.

If you don't believe me, take a look at what they've managed to do in Austin.

The House and the Senate, both controlled by Republicans, have passed a bill that will result in the largest tax increase in Texas history.

And the Republican governor will sign it with delight, confident it will guarantee his re-election.
(snip)

What's so smart is that the Republicans have made it look like a huge tax cut mostly funded by a new and improved franchise tax on businesses.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/casey/3844764.html

[Selteri]

1. Which by the theory of trickle down...

AKA Piss on the little guy economics...

THey'll have to hike their prices to adjust for the franchise tax so the little guy will be hit more in the wallet while at the same time the businesses will not give raises to their employeed under the statement they aren't making better profits as they are paying the money they are getting more of now out in taxes.

Loser - Texan Winner - Government.

[bluestateguy]

2. I'm leaving Texas in July and moving to a swing state

My vote will be so much more valuable in Michigan.

[ClintonTyree]

3. That's been the Repiglicken plan all along with their "tax cuts".

All their sound and fury about cutting taxes for "working people" :eyes: then the tax cuts must be made up for somewhere else. But that's not their problem. Property and school taxes must rise to compensate, fuel taxes, brass tacks, carpet tacks......and soon, all of the "tax breaks" the Repukelickens have given to the "working class" have been been gobbled up and more. This started back in the Reagan years. Ronny cut everyone's taxes but then the IRS changed their deduction policies which in turn gobbled up any tax break anyone got. Of course the people didn't look past "tax cuts" and were fooled into thinking they were actually making out in the end.

This has been SOP for the Rethugs for decades. One of these days the people are finally going to catch on......maybe. They haven't seen through the Repig con-game yet although some are starting to come around. We can only hope.

[JohnnyRingo]

4. "Tax cuts" are actually tax shifts

They cut federal or state taxes on certain brackets then pass the burden to a local or municipal level.

Republicans in wealthy neighborhoods don't want saddled with the spending in ghetto or rural areas, so they've created a tactic that causes a wide disparity in everything from schools to safety services.

Those new levies on your local ballot are caused by "tax cuts" at a higher level.

[Avalon Sparks]

5. Additionally.....

everyone I know in Texas has told me that their home appraisal has increased substainially this year. Ours went up OVER 15% - which is bullshit because similar homes are still selling in the area at the same price and lower then we bought ours.

When Bush was Governor and he 'lowered' property taxes, the next year there were so many articles in the paper and letters to the editor about how people's property appraisals had increased. Also you can look at the appraised values online and see huge jumps in like 95/96 values across the board -

Some people just don't freaking get it.