GROE NOTE: Hooray! I just received this email about the demise of the TIME Initiative and a "dragon-slaying" party to celebrate the good news. Please take a moment, as Tom suggests, to send a note to those who fought on your behalf to kill this tax increase.
Dear Arizona Taxpayer,
You are invited to a Dragon Slaying Party this Friday evening, August 29th, at the George and Dragon Pub in Phoenix. The occasion for the festivities is the demise of the TIME Ballot Initiative, which was thrown off the ballot today by the Arizona Supreme Court:
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/08/25/daily27.html
The TIME Initiative would have increased the state sales tax by 18 percent, and thrown $42 billion at unspecified transportation projects, including projects—such as light rail—that have very little to do with transportation. The government largess for rail projects would have been doled out by the members of a “Passenger Rail Projects Committee,” a majority of whose members would have been appointees serving at the pleasure of the Governor.
To learn about the many disastrous provisions of the TIME Initiative, read this analysis by transportation expert John Semmens:
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/includes/filemanager/files/az/timeinitiativeanalysis.pdf
And please send a note of thanks to Steve Voeller of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club (http://www.azfec.org/), for the work AZFEC did to oppose the TIME Initiative on the legal front. Steve’s email is steve@AZFreeEnterpriseClub.org.
If anyone is interested in organizing festivities outside of the Valley, let me know, and I will help.
For Liberty,
--Tom
Tom Jenney
Arizona Director
Americans for Prosperity
(Arizona Federation of Taxpayers)
http://www.aztaxpayers.org/
tjenney@afphq.org
(602) 478-0146
Showing posts with label TIME Coalition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TIME Coalition. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Gov Backs Tax Hike
From the Arizona Free Enterprise Club:
Napolitano Backs Two Tax Hikes as Arizona Economy Struggles ~
Sales tax increase would add $1.2 billion and property taxes another $250 million
annually in new tax burden.
Phoenix, AZ – Steve Voeller, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, today warned
Arizonans to brace for a heavy tax burden in 2010. Against the backdrop of a slowing economy,
a $1.5 billion deficit next year, and billions more in total state debt, Gov. Napolitano is
supporting two major tax increases.
This year the governor vetoed a bill that would have prevented a statewide property tax
increase from coming back on the books in 2009. Without further action, a property tax cut that
passed in 2006 will return next year at a cost of $250 million a year.
In her veto message, Napolitano said that making the tax cut permanent would “be the
height of fiscal irresponsibility.” Soon thereafter, the governor signed a budget into law that
added $2 billion in new debt, including $1 billion in university construction that is financed by a
planned expansion of the Arizona lottery.
The governor is also the lead proponent of a new statewide sales tax increase for various
transportation projects, grants to non-profit organizations, and wildlife habitat preservation (the
TIME initiative). This tax would add $1.2 billion annually to the Arizona tax burden beginning
in 2010. The new state sales tax rate would be 6.6 percent (a 17.8 percent increase) and would
give Arizona the fifth-highest sales tax rate in the country.
“Arizona’s economy just had one of the worst quarters in recent history and an
unemployment rate jump not seen since 1991,” Voeller said. “The last thing we need now is
a tax increase.”
According to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, Arizona personal income grew by
3.8 percent in the first quarter, the slowest growth rate since October 2003. On an annualized
basis, Arizona personal income growth ranked 42nd in the nation.
“You can’t tax your way to prosperity,” Voeller said. “What our economy needs now
is a freeze on all tax increases and a serious dose of spending restraint.”
Napolitano Backs Two Tax Hikes as Arizona Economy Struggles ~
Sales tax increase would add $1.2 billion and property taxes another $250 million
annually in new tax burden.
Phoenix, AZ – Steve Voeller, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, today warned
Arizonans to brace for a heavy tax burden in 2010. Against the backdrop of a slowing economy,
a $1.5 billion deficit next year, and billions more in total state debt, Gov. Napolitano is
supporting two major tax increases.
This year the governor vetoed a bill that would have prevented a statewide property tax
increase from coming back on the books in 2009. Without further action, a property tax cut that
passed in 2006 will return next year at a cost of $250 million a year.
In her veto message, Napolitano said that making the tax cut permanent would “be the
height of fiscal irresponsibility.” Soon thereafter, the governor signed a budget into law that
added $2 billion in new debt, including $1 billion in university construction that is financed by a
planned expansion of the Arizona lottery.
The governor is also the lead proponent of a new statewide sales tax increase for various
transportation projects, grants to non-profit organizations, and wildlife habitat preservation (the
TIME initiative). This tax would add $1.2 billion annually to the Arizona tax burden beginning
in 2010. The new state sales tax rate would be 6.6 percent (a 17.8 percent increase) and would
give Arizona the fifth-highest sales tax rate in the country.
“Arizona’s economy just had one of the worst quarters in recent history and an
unemployment rate jump not seen since 1991,” Voeller said. “The last thing we need now is
a tax increase.”
According to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, Arizona personal income grew by
3.8 percent in the first quarter, the slowest growth rate since October 2003. On an annualized
basis, Arizona personal income growth ranked 42nd in the nation.
“You can’t tax your way to prosperity,” Voeller said. “What our economy needs now
is a freeze on all tax increases and a serious dose of spending restraint.”
Monday, June 30, 2008
2008 Session Worst In Memory
Americans For Prosperity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2008
AFP AZ calls '08 Session “worst in memory”
PHOENIX—The Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP Arizona) said today that the Legislative Session that ended Friday was the “worst in memory” for fiscal conservatives.
"This is a $10.9 billion budget masquerading as a $9.9 billion budget," said AFP Arizona director Tom Jenney. "And it comes at a time when general fund revenues are about $9.1 billion." Because the budget uses debt and accounting gimmicks to push spending commitments off the books, the Legislature and Governor in January will face a cash deficit carry-forward of over a billion dollars, something Jenney said is unconstitutional. Combined with the impact of automatic voter-mandated spending increases, the deficit in January could be more than $1.5 billion.
"This Legislative Session was a near-total disaster for fiscal conservatives," said AFP Arizona chairman Chad Kirkpatrick, citing the failure to pass measures that would permanently repeal the state equalization property tax rate. That failure leaves open the possibility that Arizona politicians will attempt to impose a $250 million property tax increase on homeowners and businesses next year.
AFP Arizona also condemned other measures adopted last week by the Governor and majorities of legislators, including a scheme to finance a billion dollars in new debt for university capital projects by expanding the Arizona lottery, and a scheme to grant the special privileges of issuing tax-free bonds and levying taxes to the developer of a rock and roll theme park in Eloy.
The group did cite several small victories, such as blocking the passage of special tax breaks for solar companies and for an entertainment district in downtown Phoenix, and preventing the creation of a new taxing district for baseball stadiums in Pima County. Also, fiscal conservatives in the Legislature prevented the referral of a transportation sales tax to the November ballot, forcing the TIME Coalition to raise private funds for its ballot initiative.
Here is the Senate vote on the main FY2009 Budget bill (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of massive debt spending and accounting gimmicks):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2209.sthird.1.asp
Here is the House vote on the main FY2009 Budget bill (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of massive debt spending and accounting gimmicks):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2209.hfinal.1.asp
Here is the House vote on HCR2072 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of permanent repeal of the state equalization property tax):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hcr2072.hthird.1.asp
Here is the Senate vote on HB2220 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of permanent repeal of the state equalization property tax):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2220.sthird.1.asp
Here is the Senate vote on SB1450 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of granting special taxing and bonding privileges to the Eloy theme park):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1450.sfinal.1.asp
Here is the House vote on SB1450 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of granting special taxing and bonding privileges to the Eloy theme park):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1450.hthird.1.asp
Here is the House vote on SB1084 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of giving taxing authority to baseball stadiums in Pima County):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1084.hthird.1.asp
Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity
tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2008
AFP AZ calls '08 Session “worst in memory”
PHOENIX—The Arizona chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP Arizona) said today that the Legislative Session that ended Friday was the “worst in memory” for fiscal conservatives.
"This is a $10.9 billion budget masquerading as a $9.9 billion budget," said AFP Arizona director Tom Jenney. "And it comes at a time when general fund revenues are about $9.1 billion." Because the budget uses debt and accounting gimmicks to push spending commitments off the books, the Legislature and Governor in January will face a cash deficit carry-forward of over a billion dollars, something Jenney said is unconstitutional. Combined with the impact of automatic voter-mandated spending increases, the deficit in January could be more than $1.5 billion.
"This Legislative Session was a near-total disaster for fiscal conservatives," said AFP Arizona chairman Chad Kirkpatrick, citing the failure to pass measures that would permanently repeal the state equalization property tax rate. That failure leaves open the possibility that Arizona politicians will attempt to impose a $250 million property tax increase on homeowners and businesses next year.
AFP Arizona also condemned other measures adopted last week by the Governor and majorities of legislators, including a scheme to finance a billion dollars in new debt for university capital projects by expanding the Arizona lottery, and a scheme to grant the special privileges of issuing tax-free bonds and levying taxes to the developer of a rock and roll theme park in Eloy.
The group did cite several small victories, such as blocking the passage of special tax breaks for solar companies and for an entertainment district in downtown Phoenix, and preventing the creation of a new taxing district for baseball stadiums in Pima County. Also, fiscal conservatives in the Legislature prevented the referral of a transportation sales tax to the November ballot, forcing the TIME Coalition to raise private funds for its ballot initiative.
Here is the Senate vote on the main FY2009 Budget bill (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of massive debt spending and accounting gimmicks):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2209.sthird.1.asp
Here is the House vote on the main FY2009 Budget bill (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of massive debt spending and accounting gimmicks):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2209.hfinal.1.asp
Here is the House vote on HCR2072 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of permanent repeal of the state equalization property tax):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hcr2072.hthird.1.asp
Here is the Senate vote on HB2220 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of permanent repeal of the state equalization property tax):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2220.sthird.1.asp
Here is the Senate vote on SB1450 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of granting special taxing and bonding privileges to the Eloy theme park):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1450.sfinal.1.asp
Here is the House vote on SB1450 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of granting special taxing and bonding privileges to the Eloy theme park):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1450.hthird.1.asp
Here is the House vote on SB1084 (a “Y” indicates a vote in favor of giving taxing authority to baseball stadiums in Pima County):
http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.aspinDoc=/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/sb1084.hthird.1.asp
Contact: Tom Jenney, Arizona state director, Americans for Prosperity
tjenney@afphq.org (602) 478-0146
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Napolitano Extortion Racket Leads to Secret Deal
From the Americans for Prosperity website:
"In addition to covering the state’s budget deficit crisis (to which Napolitano was the #1 contributor), the interview will get the Governor’s comments on the recently-uncovered scandal concerning a secret deal between Napolitano, the TIME Coalition, and the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona."
"In addition to covering the state’s budget deficit crisis (to which Napolitano was the #1 contributor), the interview will get the Governor’s comments on the recently-uncovered scandal concerning a secret deal between Napolitano, the TIME Coalition, and the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona."
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Coyote Blog: Taking A Peak Inside the Sausage Factory
~another blogger's take on the Governor's suggested sales tax increase for Transportation and the deal she struck with the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona
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