You are here: Home / 2009 / April / Archives for 10th

Legislators believe Coughlin is behind tax increase

April 10, 2009 By 11 Comments

First of all, a note to commenter Roger: If you’re going to launch another personal attack in the comments against “Chewie” defending your buddy Chuck Coughlin, why don’t you think about it a little harder instead first and direct your attack towards the Yellow Sheet, which reported this. An anonymous source has confirmed to the Yellow Sheet what we’ve been saying all along:

The perception among many lawmakers, the source continued, is Coughlin is the driving force behind the entire push for a tax increase and is coordinating the support effort on several fronts.

Coughlin has, according to the source, met with GOP leaders ostensibly on behalf of the governor and the Building a Better Arizona crew, which many believe he has organized. And one of Coughlin’s former employees, Colin Shipley, is political director for the Arizona Republican Party.

For copyright reasons, we can’t reprint the entire article; we wish the anonymous source would give US this information, but the Yellow Sheet is a great tipsheet and we’d like to see them survive. The article goes on to reveal that Coughlin’s High Ground is now the official lobbyist for the Building a Better Arizona coalition (the group that funded the dubious tax increase poll), and that the P.O. Box address for the group is the same P.O. Box used for Coughlin’s last two tax hike propositions he led, TIME and Prop. 206.

We wonder, with Coughlin now controlling the governor’s office and the State GOP, who is representing what Republicans want? See you at the tax protest Tea Party on April 15th at the Capitol. Unfortunately we won’t just be protesting federal Democrat taxation…..

Filed Under: Spending, State Budget, State Economy, State Government, Taxation, Transportation

Taking Responsibility

April 10, 2009 By 13 Comments

Take ResponsibilityWhen state spending becomes unsustainable on existing revenues, one of two actions must occur: spend less or tax more.  There really aren’t too many options.

Just as with your personal household, when your debt and expenses exceed your paycheck there’s only two avenues available for you; take a second job and increase income, or cut back on expenses.  State government is no different.

Proponents of the Governor Brewer’s *temporary* tax, decry the absence of any alternative “plans” being offered up other then their obvious “… lets tax” solution.  But where will these outspoken tax proponents be in two years when the *temporary* tax fails and yet another tax hike is necessary to sustain unsustainable state spending programs?

The state is without discipline.  How dare the public – who has had to tighten their belts and reduce excess spending – require middle management state employees abstain from their comfy training seminars complete with breakfast bar?   I can guarantee you that somewhere next weekend, a group of more than 40 state employees from some agency will be meeting at a nice hotel conference room to discuss the latest in some paperwork compliance reporting activity.

Middle management government  bureaucrats are highly skilled at the tactics of budget cutting avoidance.  They attend conferences and seminars on the topic, and there are articles in bureaucratic professional journals with tips on avoiding budget cuts.

The proponents of the Brewer tax increase we have heard from insist there are no other options.  Perhaps they are simply not listening to the obvious suggestion; to boldly go where no state budget cutting has gone before.  However, that’s painful and carries consequences.  Its much easier to advocate a tax increase – that the economists with the Goldwater Institute have strongly suggested won’t work – than to suck it up and go where no one has gone before and find more state spending waste.

To listen to the tax proponents, you would think that Arizona has the most efficient state government in the United States.  How wonderful for us!  There is no more waste; every dollar the state receives is being used to its maximum efficiency.  Arizona should be a model for everyone else.

Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case.  I opened this discussion with the concept of Taking Responsibility for a reason.  It seems that once upon a time this was an American cultural value.  What about today?  Will those individuals proudly proclaiming the need for a tax increase be standing with their heads just as high someday in the future when the tax increase fails?  It will.

Oh, but these are calculating men; men of reason, reasonable souls.  They are fully aware that with the right infusion of funds from their clients, the public can be easily made to forget the sins of the past.  After all, who were the Republicans who voted for the unsustainable spending of Janet Napolitano and against the best efforts of their own party?  Do the voters in their own districts even know their responsibility in creating this budgetary nightmare?  Have those men stood up and said, “… I was wrong”?

You already know the answer.

The bottom line to this matter is quite simple and can be summed up thusly:  Pay the Piper now, or pay the Piper more later.  There is an alternative to the Brewer tax increase, but perhaps some don’t want to hear it.

Filed Under: Spending, State Budget, State Government, Taxation

More evidence the tax increase would go to fund construction projects

April 10, 2009 By 16 Comments

In the comments, “Roger,” one of Coughlin’s fiercest defenders, keeps insisting that the tax increase is not going to fund transportation infrastructure and other construction projects, like the kind last year’s TIME initiative would have paid for. We have asserted, along with Veritas Vincit, that the billions being given to Arizona in federal stimulus funds will cover the schools, so the excuse that a tax increase is needed to pay for schools is not true.

We have now uncovered more evidence indicating that the tax increase would go to construction. It appears that the Arizona Contractor’s Association is having their folks send letters to state legislators asking them to support legislation that would help the construction industry. Hmmmm. If we remember correctly, the Arizona Contractor’s Association is one of the members of the coalition that paid for the deceptive tax increase poll commissioned by Coughlin’s High Ground/State GOP/Kenski. And what kind of legislation would support the construction industry? Only thing we can think of is a tax increase to provide construction projects like light rail, highway constructions, non-essential buildings for the City of Phoenix like stadiums, etc.

Dear State Legislator,

Support Arizona’s Construction Industry

Many construction Jobs Lost Since 2006. These job losses represent a real
tax loss for Arizona both in income tax and sales tax. Our business, as
well as many other businesses has been hard hit by the recession. New
jobs are at a standstill. It is difficult for a small business to survive
and contribute to the economy with the current economic condition

I realize Arizona has spent more than the incoming revenue. However,
spending in key industries like construction is what can assist in
rejuvinating Arizona’s health.

The construction industry is a primary indicator for job growth in
Arizona. When we are building, we’re building to create the flow of
commerce, via transportation, housing, manufacturing and office facilities
or establishing education environments for the next generation of workers.
We are building Arizona.

A healthy construction industry creates a healthy Arizona. Therefore, I
would like to ask for you’re carefully consideration during your budget
planning process to view to the construction industry as a significant
contributor to helping Arizona grow out of our current economic and budget
crisis.

Please consider developing a long-term plan to address Arizona’s
infrastructure in ways to create construction jobs desperately needed.

I appreciate your service to the State of Arizona and your efforts to
create a financially strong economy. Thanks for considering these ideas.
Leaders within the Arizona Construction Industry like the Arizona
Contractors Association are ready to assist you in Building a Better
Arizona.

Filed Under: Spending, State Budget, State Economy, State Government, Taxation, Transportation