Alabama voters go to the polls Tues. to vote on the Riley tax reform

[bluestateguy]

It looks like it will lose, possibly big time. Riley's political capital will be in rubble after tomorrow. What burns me up the most is that the "Christian" conservatives seem to think it's OK for poor people to pay high taxes, while the rich can enjoy all kinds of loopholes.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96748,00.html

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Faced with the state's biggest budget deficit since the Depression, Alabama's new Republican governor is asking voters to support a plan to raise $1.2 billion through new income and property taxes.

Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether they are willing to pay for the deficit. The plan seeks to improve the state's finances and education system, but would reduce the burden on poor families.

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[Dob Bole]

1. That would really suck

if the plan loses. What sucks more is that the only real Democrat in Alabama is a Republican.

[ButterflyBlood]

2. almost everyone in Alabama has everything to gain from this plan

but they seem to care more about the rich than themselves. more right wing idiocy.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

3. Since I live in Alabama, here is why I will vote "No"...

This tax plan will boost taxes on everything imaginable – income, sales, services, property, corporate profits, insurance premiums, mortgages and deeds, cigarettes, and others. The tax plan would cost up to $293.21 per person per year, or $1172.84 for a family of four.

How, I ask, is that supposed to help anyone at the middle to low income levels?

We are now faced with higher costs for fuel and utilities. Unemployment is beginning to creep upward even in previously recession-proof areas like Huntsville. Salaries are being held level or even lower as people take jobs they would never have taken 3-4 years ago.

And to add insult to injury, programs funded by the Federal Government 3-4 years ago are no longer being funded, and the responsibility for finding the funding has been pushed off on the budgets of each individual state.

And Alabama is not alone...every state in the Union is facing billion dollar shortfalls.

Meanwhile, the Bushies want us to throw huge amounts of good money into the Middle Eastern limbo-hole.

Is anyone seeing the picture here??

[Romberry]

4. You have some very fuzzy math there.

The plan will not cost "$293.21 per person" and it will not "$1172.84 for a family of four". That's simple minded BS and you ought to damn well know it.

The fact is that by eliminating the state income tax for a typical family of four with incomes under 20 grand, it will REDUCE the overall tax burden on the poor and even up to the mid-40 thousand dollar range for a typical family. Get it? POOR PEOPLE WILL PAY LESS!

Current use land taxes will go up to at least something closer to neighboring states. That means International Paper and the various timber companies will actually pay something a little closer to a fair share of the tax burden.

You really need to stop listening to the crap put out by Grover Norquist. If you vote no, you are no Democrat. And yes, I live in Alabama. Dallas County just outside of Selma.

[leftyandproud]

5. so a democrat can NEVER vote no to a tax increase?

interesting

:eyes:

[retread]

6. What's more interesting is how you got "NEVER" from a defense

of one increase???

[trof]

7. I will vote "yes" this morning, but

I still have faith (unhappily) in the historic ignorance and apathy of the Alabama voters. I think we will lose. The selective truths put forth in the over-the-top oppositions television commercials have targeted the audience they know only too well.

Example:
"State property taxes will increase by forty per cent."
True, however the state portion of our real estate tax is very small. Most goes to counties and towns and that percentage will not increase. The majority of voters are ignorant of this fact.

"Income taxes will increase by $400,000,000" (or some such number, I forget).
True, overall income tax receipts will increase, but the lower and middle income groups will generally pay less and the floor for paying income tax will be raised from $4,600 to around $25,000.

If you ask the "average" state voter what is most important in government the answer is always schools. They are woefully underfunded.
Ask about a tax increase and you hear "We already pay too much in taxes. We need to cut out waste and corruption."
Alabama is among the bottom 2 or 3 states in overall taxation.
:shrug: