This is Absolutely Outrageous

Facing a deficit of historic proportions, Republican lawmakers in Georgia want to spend tens of millions on a tax cut for big corporations. What do they want to tax instead? Your groceries.

Family friendly bunch, don't you think?

Oh, they'll tell you that Georgians will still be able to take a deduction on their state income tax returns, but we'll pay the money now, and maybe get part of it back later. Maybe. If you file a return; if you know to take the deduction; if you keep your receipts. If, if, if...Of course, families have to eat NOW, not later. At at time when many Georgians are facing skyrocketing unemployment and one in eight homeowners are behind on their mortgages, this is simply outrageous.

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A Shout Out to the 67!

Props to the 67 Democrats in the Georgia House who stood together today to prevent the passage of HR1. We're not done with this fight, but it's a good start. This legislation would have placed a constitutional amendment on the ballot that sounded great on paper but could have had devastating consequences for local governments, especially in this economy. Keep up the good work, folks!

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Council to Consider Reallocation of Hotel-Motel Tax

Whether we're talking about billions of dollars to Wall Street firms or thousands of dollars to local nonprofits, elected officials should do all they can to make sure that private entities getting tax dollars are either financially sound or have a reasonable plan to become financially sound before the tax dollars sent their way.

Today, Macon City Council will take up a resolution to divide the hotel/motel tax by adding the Georgia Children's Museum and The Tubman Museum as recipients. It's my understanding that support of the Halls of Fame has already been discussed. Currently, the Cherry Blossom Festival is the beneficiary of this tax, and that decision was predicated on the notion that the Festival puts "heads in beds." Those who support spreading the money between various museums believe that it is important that we have a viable museum district, sort of an all boats rise together approach. I agree with that and certainly support the work of all of these groups,but before public money is provided to any of these organizations, it is my hope that Council will examine the relevant financial documents, just as they would if the an organization were coming to council to ask for direct financial support from the City. The item that will come to the floor today is simply a resolution. It is our legislative delegation that would ultimately have to drop a piece of local legislation to allow the change. Given that, there is certainly time to dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" so that tax money, however generated, is spent wisely.

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Hypocrites Against Tax Equity

Glenn Richardson wants to put a constitutional amendment (HR 900) on the ballot that allows the state to tax your child's haircut, his daycare, his doctor's appointment and his trip to the dentist. But he's okay with that because Glenn and his rich friends, along with large, multi-state corporations, will make out like bandits. Now does that sound "fair" to you?

Rep. Glenn Richardson is loading his gun, ready to take another shot at middle class families in Georgia. His "GREAT" plan to eliminate all property taxes in Georgia, in favor of higher sales tax and new taxes on services, will put the screws to working families in Georgia who are already struggling to make ends meet. But Glenn doesn't care about these families. He proved that during the last session when he worked to limit their access to basic health insurance for their children. Glenn wants you to think that this tax disaster is about helping homeowners, but the facts just don't support that claim. He does care about his Big Development buddies and the large multi-state corporations this plan will benefit. Consider this:

• Georgia's total land area is 37,068,000 acres.
• Of that, 65% is forested. We have more forested acres than any other state, 23,631,000 acres.
• In 2002, of that, about three quarters of a million acres are in national forests, and about 900,000 acres are private.
• Of the remainder, nearly five million acres are owned by the Forest Industry, and about seventeen million acres are owned by farmers or private land owners.
• One company alone, Plum Creek Timber, the largest private landowner in the country, owns nearly 850,000 acres.
• You might want to check Plum Creek's "Political Accountability Record" and learn more about REIT's.

Many Georgia families do not own their homes. According to the University of Georgia's Initiative on Poverty and the Economy, only 67.50% of Georgians own their homes, only 58.80% of those in Bibb County own their own homes. Why is the number lower in Bibb? Because we have higher poverty. People who have money are more likely to own property.

My point? There are a whole lot of people in Georgia who will not benefit directly from the elimination of property taxes. The increase in sales tax, along with the imposition of a brand new tax on services could constitute a substantial tax increase on middle class, working families and the poor. Sales taxes are considered "regressive" by respected economists and shift more of the tax burden to poor and middle class families.

The short story? If you're a large, multi-state corporation, you might think this is GREAT, but if you are an everyday working person, struggling to pay the bills, you're going to HATE this bill.

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Taxing Situations

In this holiday season, am I the only one who sees the irony in how Perdue has dealt with his taxes vrs. how Mary and Jospeh dealt with their obligation? Joseph and a very pregnant Mary traveled from Galilee to Bethlehem to pay their taxes. Perdue apparently sent his money to Florida to avoid paying his. Joseph went to a lot of trouble to pay his taxes while Sonny went to great lengths to avoid paying his.

And Republicans want you to believe that they are the party that embraces Christian values. That's quite a disconnect. Here's the text from the Gospel of Luke:

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her a firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

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