Let us stipulate that whatever the nuances and particulars of the debate, it is not favorable ground for Christine Gregoire to be involved in a discussion of her public willingness to embrace the idea of a state income tax. Even more so when the budgetary choices of the state in recent years coupled with a large, looming deficit (still largely ignored by Gregoire) signals a a state tax hike on horizon.
As much as Democrats may try to object to that, their historical choices when confronted by such budget gaps tend to speak for themselves.
Posted by Eric Earling at August 10, 2008 09:48 PM | Email ThisMoney for government services and public officials only after paying the first 3? That wouldn't fly with any party, except perhaps libertarians. Last I checked they had not elected anyone yet.
Posted by: deadwood on August 10, 2008 11:13 PMI'm from Calif where they tax 'everything'. If anyone in their right mind thinks that they won't raise taxes even higher in this state even with a income tax, is just kidding themselves.
Just look both at New York & Calif and tell me they won't!
Make the penalties for cheating huge, like on the hundreds of billions rich tax cheats were just caught stashing in Luxembourg.
I know it is hard to make up for the help us blue staters used to receive from the federal government, but we must find a way to pay for the war in our own way, while subsidizing the red states.
Posted by: All Facts Support My Positions on August 11, 2008 06:44 AMThank so much.
Posted by: Hinton on August 11, 2008 07:02 AMThis "regressive" crap, the temporary bait and switch of getting rid of other taxes which will ALL seep back into place... ALL of it is to increase revenue/size of government.
Posted by: Hinton on August 11, 2008 07:09 AMSo you are for discrimination? Taking someones money simply because they have it? How about if we raise your taxes because you are a Democrat? And if you object to us raising your taxes we can say that you would rather "see children die from lack of medical attention" than pay your fair share!
Posted by: David on August 11, 2008 07:27 AM"Make the penalties for cheating huge, like on the hundreds of billions rich tax cheats were just caught stashing in Luxembourg."
Gee, George Soros will finally have to cough up.
I guess we can all rest assured that the pothead has no net worth.
A state income tax will be just another tax that greedy Democrats will raise, and raise, and raise,
and raise, and raise, and raise, along with all the other taxes.
Mayor Quimby just slapped a .20 cent tax on grocery bags which is really just a tax on food. I wonder how long it will be before that tax get bumped to .40 cents, then .80 cents, ad infinitum. Wow, those greedy, evil Democrats are taxing our FOOD. Ahhhhrrrrrrgh@#&%
"I know it is hard to make up for the help us blue staters used to receive from the federal government, but we must find a way to pay for the war in our own way, while subsidizing the red states."
Yeah, I guess Bush's tax cuts aren't enough help from the federal government because you have been forced to hang around freeway offramps with a tin cup begging for money to fund the war.
Sheesh...
Posted by: NW Denizen on August 11, 2008 07:46 AMTalking about Kennedy's are you.
It's so easy to see you know ZIP about taxes.
Just forget about the 1 trillion dollar subsidy to the petroleum industry, and the 1 trillion dollar subsidy to the coal industry. (Per Bobby Kennedy Jr.)
So how much of your paycheck goes into paying for our military machine? Any complaints? Yeah right.
We are America. We have to right to kill, or torture any innocent soul, anytime, anywhere, and for any reason. Just ask the decider.
Posted by: All Facts Support My Positions on August 11, 2008 08:28 AMI seriously doubt our leftist Legislature would tax "old money", given that armchair limousine liberals of Laurelhurst, Broadmoor and Bainbridge Island donate heavily to Democrats. Doubt me? Follow the money with a zip code analysis at opensecrets.org. Start with Bainbridge, 98110, which traditionally votes in excess of 70% for Democrats.
That "Republican Old Money" myth doesn't fly here. Heavily-taxed, successful, hard-working, job-producing, entrepreneurial businesspeople lead the Republican charge for lower taxes and a reduction in commerce-stifling regulations. Indolent limousine libs bankroll the Democrats to ensure "old money" gets its "fair share" of the free stuff that taxpaying, working people pay for.
Posted by: Saltherring on August 11, 2008 08:29 AMIs this a bad movie?? Youtube videos of the 520 bridge sinking, Tear Down this Viaduct Mr. Gorbachev and replace it with a bus! Raise the gas tax over 30% and do nothing with it!! Sue talk shows. Scream Racism after living in a whites only sorority. Then January 2009, if she swipes it again, voice dripping with fear, say it is for the children as the 13% state income tax rate is instituted while the sex offenders live under bridges. Does Frank Chopp have any DUI’s? No just Richard Petty.
This is sad; she knows all the particulars of how she stole the election and has governed not with peace but with fear and always a sense of running from the smoking guns sitting in Dean Logan's files. She thought she could buy off enough new voters to make a difference but the voices in her head get louder everyday. She looks like a 5 year old demanding a happy meal by yelling racism. Christine, uh er, Chris just Answer the ad!!! Ya can’t..everyday that knocking gets a little louder.
"...we get to pay 3 trillion dollars for a war we should have never started..."
Oh, you mean the democrat's war on poverty that has done little or nothing to help poor and minorities except to turn them into slaves to the democrat party.
Here's a suggestion for you. How about we take away Algore's carbon belching mega yacht and give it to you? Would that make you feel better? Maybe we should also take away one of the 12 SUVs that John Kerry doesn't own and give that to you as well. Google up a survey on the net worth of the richest politicians in America, then come back here and tell us about greedy Republicans. Here, I will do it for you:
http://www.forbes.com/2002/10/29/cx_dd_richpols.html
Please note that six of the ten richest politicians are democrats, one is an Independent, and rest are Republicans. John Kerry's net worth is listed as $550 million. Not bad for a guy that has never done anything but feed off the public trough and marry rich widows. By comparison, George W. Bush's net worth is around $20 million. I am sure that Kerry would view this as mere chump change.
"We are America. We have to right to kill, or torture any innocent soul, anytime, anywhere, and for any reason."
Before we confiscate all this net worth and turn it over to you thought, I suggest that we bring back the draft and have you do a hitch in the army so that maybe you will appreciate what is involved in keeping you free to spout your nonsense. One little stipulation though. Run to Canada and you are disqualified.
Puke in your own bed first.
Realizing that personal responsibility will be required is a hard truth for Democrats to swallow.
The Dems under Gregoire have run up their WA State credit card and are now looking for ways to pay it off. They see more taxes as the answer. But all they have to do is look southward to CA to see that higher taxes don't equate to a better quality of life. There is a lot more duel income struggling in CA, and that is coming here to WA if Dems get their way.
Rossi should seize on this. Gregoire is going to do everything she can to hide from this over the next few months.
Posted by: Jeff B. on August 11, 2008 10:25 AMLawmakers cannot continue to spend money like Washington State is a "slot machine" and then raise taxes to cover it all. We are getting tax fatigue.
Both of my opponents are determined to drive the middle class and good jobs from Washington and Seattle in particular. They are doing this though odious confiscatory war on those they deem rich--class warfare. I find those people successful--they worked for their wealth (and often times invested well). My opponents are determined to destroy economic opportunity and reward political elites and their supplicants.
Posted by: Leslie Bloss on August 11, 2008 11:35 AMThink all those Microsoft millionaires and internet moguls continue to live in Seattle because of the great weather? Nope! They keep a home (and cars, boats, that CAN be taxed) because they don't get hit with a state income tax.
Change the tax status and guess what, they sell off their "winter" homes and go to other places such as Las Vegas that have lower or no income tax.
The one constant with taxes is that those that have wealth will respond to negate the change. It wouldn't be that hard for even large corporations to leave this state behind and they would if the tax laws changed substantially.
Posted by: johnny on August 11, 2008 12:05 PMDoes anyone in their right mind think that the other taxes will go away in Washington if we enact an income tax? Sure, they may go down for a small amount of time, but they'll be raised the next time it rains, and we get a lot of rany days here.
No, what will happen is that we will have ever higher and higher taxes because there simply is not enough wealth on the planet to satisfy government greed.
Let's not enact an income tax for this state, and let's set about getting rid of federal income taxes.
Posted by: Politically Incorrect on August 11, 2008 01:53 PMBesides, everyone knows that even with a state income tax, it wouldn't be long before there would be fees, surcharges, & other disguised taxes added on until the state would be like California, New York or other states that never have enough money.
The increase in numbers of state employees under Gregoire is obscene as was her payback to the unions & the reinstatement of the estate tax. As far as Democrats are concerned, there can never be too many taxes & it's time for the income tax idea to be nipped in the bud.
Posted by: Clean House on August 12, 2008 10:13 AMWhy not just get a gun and hold up those evil rich people- it would be much more efficient. No need for new laws.
/sarc off
Posted by: David on August 12, 2008 03:37 PM