Americans for Tax Reform posted an article on the Senate’s passage of a tax-free 2010 budget. HERE is a link to the article on their website.
Sen. Pamela Gorman states, “I have the greatest respect for Americans’ for Tax Reform and I appreciate their support of our effort to pass a balanced budget without a tax increase.”
Tax Hike Free Budget Passes Arizona Senate, Moves to House
From Patrick Gleason on Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:35 PM
Early this morning the Arizona Senate passed a budget that closes the state’s $3 billion deficit without raising taxes. The nine bill budget package passed by the Senate was approved on a 16-1 party line vote. All Democrats, save for one, were absent for the vote.
Americans for Tax Reform supports the Senate’s budget plan and urges the House to send it to Gov. Jan Brewer. Brewer has stated that she will veto any budget sent to her that does not include her sought after $3 billion sales tax hike.
“Unlike the Governor, the Arizona Senate comprehends one of the few things that economists of all political stripes agree on – the worst thing that you can do in a recession is raise taxes,” said Grover Norquist, Presidents of Americans for Tax Reform. “While not ideal, the Senate’s budget plan is far better than any plan that would raise taxes in this time of economic contraction and rising unemployment.
30 Arizona legislators have made a written pledge to not raise taxes. Despite making the same commitment to her constituents that she would oppose any and all tax hikes, Gov. Brewer is pushing a $1 billion per year sales tax hike that she alleges will be temporary and expire after three years. Arizonans that have land line phones are still paying the “temporary” tax hike put in place to fund the Spanish-American War of 1898.
“It is clear that Arizona has a spending problem and not a revenue problem. In the last five years general fund spending has grown at double the rate of population and inflation. Furthermore, Arizonans spend 194 days out of the year just paying for the cost of their government. Shockingly, Gov. Brewer doesn’t think this is enough” added Norquist. “Some elected officials view taxpayers, rather than spending interests, as their constituents. Americans for Tax Reform commends those elected officials like Sens. Pamela Gorman (R-Anthem), Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), Ron Gould (R-Lake Havasu), and Jack Harper (R-Surprise), who work for taxpayers rather than against them.”
