It's Time For The General Assembly To CUT Taxes!
By James Parmelee

Following Up On Our NO TAX HIKE Efforts - It's Time For The General Assembly To CUT Taxes!

James Parmelee
President
Republicans United for Tax Relief

People have been asking me, so Jim, we defeated the NOVA Tax Hike Referendum a few years ago by a large margin, so why with that mandate have some politicians been so intent to raise our taxes year after year?

Well, unfortunately, many of them have turned their backs on their campaign promises to hold the line on taxes. This betrayal came after they unwisely pushed a tax hike referendum on the voters, spent millions of private dollars and an untold amount of state taxpayer dollars to try and convince voters to agree, and then were BEATEN SOUNDLY at the polls.

Clearly, we have a strong voter mandate against taxes.

That mandate is so strong, that many Democrats continue to campaign as supposed tax cutters, even after having supported record tax increases.

It's time to call their bluff, push a strong pro-taxpayer agenda, and see how they vote.

Holding the line on taxes is no longer enough, we must follow President Bush's lead and look to tax cuts to spur the economy and reduce government bureaucracy.

THE BOTTOM LINE... With such a huge surplus in Virginia's budget, LET'S PUSH FOR TAX RELIEF! What should the agenda be?...

1. Finish the Car Tax Cut - Former Gov. Gilmore kept his promise and included the final phase of the tax cut in his last budget. Unfortunately, his successor Gov. Warner decided to change the Gilmore budget and keep the tax. Gov. Warner had not only promised to finish the elimination of the car tax during his campaign, he promised to not raise other taxes. He broke those promises. And since the car tax was supposed to be gone years ago, but we still have to pay it, it's a continuing tax increase from zero on top of all of the other Warner tax increases. Let's see if Gov. Kaine can be persuaded to do the right thing.

2. Limit Local Real Estate Tax Hikes - Many localities have had years of double-digit real estate tax hikes, so as we have in past years, we'll continue organizing anti-tax protests at local budget hearings this year and next where the rates will be finalized. Also, we'll take the fight to Richmond by supporting a statewide real estate tax limitation measure, barring localities from raising taxes more than 5% annually, or the rate of population growth plus inflation, whichever is higher.

3. A Virginia Taxpayer Bill of Rights - Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights, passed by a citizen initiative in 1992, mandates all increases in state revenues higher than population growth plus inflation must be rebated to taxpayers each year. It was recently amended in Colorado, but it is still an idea which could boost Virginia's economy!

Please contact your legislators today and urge them to support this pro-taxpayer agenda, with your help, we can win the fight for lower taxes and limited government once again!