So the rumor I hear from my Gnomes under the Gold Dome Lt. Col. Sheppie is that the Senate has their own tax cut plan they’ll be passing out of Finance tomorrow. They’ll gut the speaker’s proposal and instead institute a 10% cut in the state income tax. Cagle will be speaking on it very soon.
In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny: “Of course you realize, this means war!”.
Updated to add Looks like Sen. Johnson’s office let the cat out of the bag a bit early
{ 34 comments }
LoyaltyIsMyHonor 03.18.08 at 2:16 pm
Counting down the days till the Speaker’s head explodes…
drjay 03.18.08 at 2:28 pm
i was chasing a 2 year old around for a lot of it so i may have mis heard–but i believe the senator made comments along the lines believing of an income tax cut to be the best way to stimulate growth and boost the economy in his comments at our county convention this past weekend
eehrhart 03.18.08 at 2:48 pm
This really is absurd!
Did not Sonny and Casey just slam the House for “tax reform at the last minute and on the fly” Now at the last minute and on the fly in a committee they come up with an un studied reform. The irony is just too funny.
So what we have is the Senate killing the car tag reform. I am sure they are looking forward to running on that platform.
Harry 03.18.08 at 2:58 pm
Earl,
My problem with the car tag reduction is, it lowers the ad valorem tax for those who feel the need to buy a expensive new vehicle every year or so, but does virtually nothing for those who can drive a cheap vehicle for 10 years or more. We need to stop rewarding excessive consumption.
landon 03.18.08 at 3:02 pm
Everybody should take comfort in the following
Just a few weeks ago, the House could not pass a tax cut due to Dem opposition.
Today, the fight is not about whether to cut taxes, but by how much.
That is a very, very good thing for all of Georgia.
juliobarrios 03.18.08 at 3:05 pm
The fight is really about who gets the credit for the tax cut.
landon 03.18.08 at 3:11 pm
Exactly - but they are fighting to cut taxes!!
I don’t care who gets credit, as long as the state takes a first step to permanent tax cuts. It was not that long ago when a D was. Lt. Gov and a D was speker. R’s aren’t perfect, but they know better than to oppose a tax cut without coming up with another way to cut taxes.
Money taken out of the economy is money that cannot be utilized by it. Whoever’s plan wins the day, 08 campaigns can say “we are doing what we said we would” Thats what is important to the average voter.
kendrial 03.18.08 at 3:47 pm
Harry, we live in America. Our ecomomy is built on excessive consumption.
LoyaltyIsMyHonor 03.18.08 at 3:51 pm
LOL
eburke 03.18.08 at 4:27 pm
A cut or elimination of the State Income tax is reform that we really need. I’d gladly substitute my property tax for my state income tax. This will bring a boost to the economy of the state and help every working person immediately.
juliobarrios 03.18.08 at 4:28 pm
Good point kendrial, not a lot of excessive consumption going on in Ghana.
Old Vet 03.18.08 at 5:20 pm
No matter what taxes are cut, average people will blow it on Chinese goods and rich folks will lose it in the stock market. Either way it’s headed out of Georgia.
Chris Farris 03.18.08 at 5:25 pm
I plan on hiring illegal aliens to install a new fence in my back yard.
And to build me a space ship so I can escape this rock. Rumor is Icarus is still out to get me…..
IndyInjun 03.18.08 at 5:28 pm
Steer clear of the DCon and you should be fine.
Painterman 03.18.08 at 5:32 pm
“There’s to much Consuming going on around here!” That’s a typical liberal mantra for you. If you have any type of job in the private sector you depend on consumption of something, and the more people consume your product the better off you are and the more you can consume and keep the capitalist system rolling. Problem is too many politicians have never worked in that type of job so somehow they feel that they are the enlightened ones who can tell us how bad we are for living our lives in a free society where we should be able to decide how much we consume or how little depending on our individual circumstances.
IndyInjun 03.18.08 at 5:33 pm
Earl,
Tax reform was a very worthy effort, one that I wish to thank you for.
The problem, as I saw it, is that Georgia is pretty constrained by the sales tax exemptions of the other states, so that simplifying and broadening a sales tax enough to meaningfully dent either property tax or income tax would meet a firestorm.
The simply fact is that a Georgia legislator is pretty powerless to effect change because a state is only one among 50 others and the Feds also impact tax reform.
I will give you an “A” for effort and commiserate in the political ossification that constrains you.
Harry 03.18.08 at 6:17 pm
Painterman,
Consumption is a liberal thing, not a conservative value.
Painterman 03.18.08 at 6:54 pm
Harry,
Consumpsion paid for by other people is a liberal thing. Working to earn a living and using your earnings to consume or save what you as an individual wants is an “American” thing, that conservatives hold dear. At least the ones I know.
Painterman 03.18.08 at 6:57 pm
that should read “Comsumption paid for by others is a liberal thing.”
Icarus 03.18.08 at 7:00 pm
Rumor? No. Not a rumor.
AubieTurtle 03.18.08 at 7:59 pm
I don’t get it. Why don’t we hear about spending reform? Cut spending and the tax cuts will follow. Starve the beast is a nice slogan but it doesn’t seem to ever work because it turns out that the beast knows how to use a credit card to buy Twinkies at the supermarket.
bowersville 03.18.08 at 8:01 pm
I hope consumption, such as buying new cars, isn’t going to become a social conservative political issue on the same level Harry has ranted against Sunday sales.
It doesn’t seem to me that a 10% reduction in state income taxes will make a dent in ones’ property tax.
I’m glad to see this war, reduce taxes and cut spending. It’s a conservative thing to do.
Harry 03.18.08 at 8:10 pm
Liquor stores and car dealers are not your friends.
Bill Simon 03.18.08 at 11:13 pm
Neither are politicians…and yet, you are drawn to them, Harry, like a mosquito to an electric bug zapper.
Icarus 03.18.08 at 11:21 pm
I wish my liquor store offered no money down and easy monthly payments.
And on Sundays….
shep1975 03.19.08 at 12:32 am
If you’re going to call me your Capital “gnome,” I’m going to start calling Pye when something interesting starts going down at the Gold Dome.
gatormathis 03.19.08 at 5:47 am
I wish my liquor store offered no money down and easy monthly payments.
And on Sundays
wow, what a concept…………add in rebates, and a prize in every bottle (somewhat better than that tequila thingie)……..and they could REALLY sell some booze…………..
………course that’s where the tobacco settlement kinda got started………
Chris Farris 03.19.08 at 7:30 am
They should allow on premise consumption and video poker machines too.
Turn my local Kroger into a casino!….
Sorry Sheppie - wasn’t sure if you wanted credit or to stay incognito.
jsm 03.19.08 at 10:01 am
“Liquor stores and car dealers are not your friends.”
And you obviously are out to make sure government keeps you away from them. Since when is government’s job to promote your opinions, Harry?
Harry 03.19.08 at 10:41 am
I’d rather have government promote my opinions than your opinions.
shep1975 03.19.08 at 12:34 pm
I would have preferred to be referred to as one of your “secret agents.” At least I gave you the scoop 5 minutes before the AJC got it.
jsm 03.19.08 at 2:44 pm
What an idiotic statement, Harry. I hope you’re joking and I just missed the sarcasm. The government doesn’t exist to promote or enforce anyone’s opinion. Just mind your OWN business, and don’t expect government to mind everyone else’s for you. Goodness.
Dave Bearse 03.19.08 at 6:34 pm
The original GREAT plan and the scaled back vehicle ad valorem tax elimination are mainly state government cutting “local” taxes. The idea of the state “reimbursing” local governments for lost local tax revenue with general state revenue is a bureacratic absurdity.
Leave local taxes to the locals! The state income tax is a much more germane tax for a Gold Dome tax cut consideration, Mr. Ehrhart’s well taken observation that the Gov’s and Senate’s opposition to the House tax reduction because it was developed on the fly meanwhile bringing a 10% income tax reduction out of the woodwork aside.
Jace Walden 03.21.08 at 5:53 pm
Harry,
I want the government to honor the “opinions” written in the constitution. Then again, that’s just my opinion and I didn’t go to Church last Sunday like a good Christian boy, so you’ll probably just disregard my opinions.
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