Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory this morning ripped a tax proposal by N.C. House Democrats that would raise some income taxes to help close a $4 billion budget shortfall.The House is considering a $940 million tax package today that would raise the sales tax and income taxes for those earning more than $200,000 a year.
"It's the last thing you need to do during a recession," he said. "The income tax is the most harmful tax to raise because you're only punishing those who are actually working ... This hurts our economic development efforts here in Charlotte, North Carolina ... when there's a cheaper place to live."
McCrory, last year's GOP gubernatorial nominee, said he worries that raising income taxes on the affluent could drive businesses from North Carolina.
Asked how he would deal with the record shortfall, McCrory offered no specifics but referred back to his 2008 campaign.
In October, when forecasters predicted a $2 billion shortfall, McCrory and Democrat Bev Perdue both said they opposed tax hikes and would convene expert panels to identify cuts and efficiencies in state government. Perdue Monday called on the House to include new taxes in its budget.
Tax policy will be part of McCrory's speech Friday at the GOP state convention in Raleigh.
93 comments:
It's amazing that we never hold politicians accountable for what they say and promise during the campaign. It must make McCrory sick to see her do a 180 6 short months after the elections.
It makes me sick that our state government can't imagine rolling back our budget to, dare I say, 2006 levels!!!! They just don't get it.
Between the new tax increases and the daily news of just how corrupt Raleigh has been under Dem control, I would be shocked if there is not a purging of leadership next time around.
It's about time a degree of sanity returned to the General Assembly in it's attempt to solve the horrendous deficit facing the state. At first glance, the tax plan looks reasonable and fair. Education cuts alone would set this state back a generation.
Pat McCrory is simply playing politics with a serious, realistic proposal to minimize an awful situation for millions of NC families.
Oh Mayor Pat, you should have been Governor! There are too many idiots voting.
"The income tax is the most harmful tax to raise because you're only punishing those who are actually working"
- All taxes really only punish those who work. If you are getting a govt check your not really paying the taxes. However we have to ensure our children get an education, courts & prisons get funded, and that helthcare is provided for childrens and seniors. Losing 18,000 teachers is not an acceptable cut. No one wins there. So we need to raise some revenue to make these services acceptable, As far as taxing those who make over $200k (although I believe it is $250k) is not taxing every working person just the wealhiest 5% of the state. These people might give up some luxuries so the sate has the basic services. College tuition going iup 7% & 19% for community colleges does not attract fortune 500 companies. lack of quality schools for children menas big business wont come, b/c they can't recruit professionals who have or plan to have families. Same for healthcare. If the coutrts are overloaded and dropping cases and making pleas for every one who comes through the door rimewill go up. Then there is raod money...
Bev Perdue is an idiot!
"I would be shocked if there is not a purging of leadership next time around."
- Funny that's what happened all over North Carolina this past election, & it was Republicans who were purged. I'm not trying to have a partisan battle here, I'm a Republican. I just thought there was some irony in your statement. To me education, healthcare, and the justice system are not really partisan issues. The level of cuts we are talking about are pretty severe. The level of service would be so poor, it just isn't acceptable fro Republicans or Democrats. So there will have to be some taxes raised. But there will have to be some compromises
ANON@11:10 The only idot would be the statement you posted. Everyone is entitled to vote for whomever they like. Just because the people you wanted to win didn't win maybe you were supporting the wrong people. Get over it.
Anon 11:11.. what's wrong with you?! Gov't ALREADY has that money. It is a matter of cutbacks and using money where is should be used.. like actually using the education lottery for.. um EDUCATION, or using the gas tax for ROADS and roads only. Taxes don't need to go up.. unacceptable spending needs to go DOWN, idiot. I haven't heard any mention of cutting welfare. I HAVE heard of people having unemployment extended while they sit home and watch TV instead of actively seeking a job.
If you want taxes increased, then I'll keep my money, and YOU can give more.
Also, I'll second that truly, only idiots voted against Pat, who is a very good leader with good ideas. If you don't agree, then others still think YOU'RE a moron. Thanks a lot for screwing us all.
The only reason there was any sort of "purge" in NC government, was the fact that lazy, uninformed voters, voted a straight democratic ticket. Many probably knew nothing about McCrory or Perdue, but just voted straight because they liked Obama. People that don't do the research necessary to make an informed decision about our leaders, shouldn't bother voting at all.
And although I am not one of them, I fail to see why anyone making $200k per year is considered wealthy. Doing well, certainly, but "wealthy" - hardly. Especially if that is a one income household with more than 3 children.
Spend what you have more wisely FIRST - before you make the rest of us give you even more. And stop all the free services to all the illegal immigrants who aren't contributing.
Yeah -and how about that lottery money and high gax tax money? Where is that????
Education cuts alone would set this state back a generation.
- EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!
1.8 billion in cuts to Education, including:
Reduction in the number of teachers by at least 12,000, this number likely to be increased to 18,000.
ALL teacher assistants to be fired after 3rd grade.
Cuts to the number of social workers to handle discipline issues in schools.
Class size increase by 2 additional students per class.
50 school nurses to be fired.
7% of all janitors, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers to be fired.
Termination of assistance for school with a concentration of children living in poverty.
Elimination of Learn and Earn.
Elimination of 350 administrators, principals & vice principals, increasing the workload from 750 to nearly a 1000 students per administrator
From Higher Education:
19% increase in Community College tuition.
8% increase in University tuition.
Continuing education fees will be doubled.
12 million dollars cut from cancer research.
Anon 6/09/2009 11:11:00 AM - You are absolutely correct. McCrory will not say where to find the money for the shortfall because he is really just posturing. The only way to come up with that money is to raise taxes. As you pointed out, the proposal is not raising taxes on EVERYONE who earns income, just those that can afford it more. There is a time and a place for everything and when the economy starts doing well again and the market for luxury goods and services becomes lucrative again those taxes will ease to ensure a that we can attract those will the highest incomes.
They're all idiots! Doesn't matter if Democrat or Republican.
If you want NC to end up like SC then vote Republicans in control of the legislature and governors mansion. Look at what mess SC is in right now. NC voters are much more prgamatic than their SC counterparts. NC voters prefer Deomcrats making key decisions in Raleigh. I doubt this will change any time soon. And BTW-Has Gov. Easley been accused of anything ILLEGAL yet? Unethical, sounds like it, but ILLEGAL? This is starting to remind me of the 34 million dollar Ken Starr investigation, that only proved Bubba received service from an ugly fat girl.
Texas doesn't have an Income tax nor a tax on grocery (food) items and seems to do OK. The school systems are much better ran. I think the head honcho's need to look at how Texas does it. I love living here. Hook em Horns :)
I am just amazed that anyone would prefer to increase taxes, instead of dumping programs that give to people who don't work. I guess it's easy to let the dirty government take OTHER people's money. Oh, those rich devils. I just cant stand those rich people who work hard and give the rest of us JOBS.
Anon 11:48. If you're going to stand up for anything that the corrupt Easley's have done, then please do the rest of us a favor and don't vote ever again because you are too stupid. Honestly, that is just foolish of you.
Its amazing to me that the majority of readers rarely look beyond the pithy quotes or sound bites. Maybe the mayor and those opposed to any tax increases would like to do without their precious road projects. The proposed education and health and human services cuts would set this state back decades. We would quickly become the least desirable state in which to like. Only a balanced approach will work.
It's so funny to see people comment about "purging", when that is exactly what happened in this past election. I voted for Pat but he didn't carry his own County! Now he's jumping up and down about a proposed method of closing a budget gap. It's funny how he says "if you tax income, you're only punishing those that work"...I work, what about me? Pat doesn't seem to be concerned about the lower income class. Perhaps I was corrected by the majority of voters, hey thank you.
Mark Sanford is grinning over this. Raise taxes on the "rich" and they will simply move to states with lower taxes like South Carolina, taking their tax money and the jobs that they provide along with them. Then the old north state wont have the rich folks to fall back on and a higher unemployment rate to boot! Look at California, New York, and Maryland as example.
I would much rather have South Carolina's State Government over NC, ours is so corrupt and wasteful....did I mention corrupt?
Perdue is going to run off businesses, by raising taxes. This will have the net effect of lowering Tax Revenues as the money runs away to lower tax states, naturally.
They are also floating a 1 and half cent Sales Tax increase, we already have an unbeleivably high Sales Tax for an Income Tax state also.
No Income Tax in Texas, sounds about right
12.26 no one believes you. What a terrible lie. ha
McCrory won 10% more of the election day vote than did Perdue, she won because of the Obama wave and ACORN voter effort turnout, and that reason alone combined with the anti-Charlotte hatred in Eastern NC Perdue successfully used.
anyone living in the Charlotte area that voted for Perdue over McCrory has zero Political IQ and screwed themselves over to the benefit of Eastern NC and ulitmately SC
Sanford can have anyone who does move down there. Talk about a state where the gap beteween rich and poor gets more and more extreme. South carolina is a third world country. At least the NC legislature, and most of its citizens, are not afraid to make this state a more equal playing field for all.
"I fail to see why anyone making $200k per year is considered wealthy. Doing well, certainly, but "wealthy" - hardly. Especially if that is a one income household with more than 3 children.
- Regardless of wht you call it, $250,000 (not 200,000) is plenty of money to put food on the table or a family of 5 and still shave plenty of luxuries even with a tax increase.
If "the fat and lazy voters" voted democrat, obviously they were more motivated than the people who weren's as fat and lazy as the republicans who didn't vote. Quit with the insults As I said, I'm a republican so I wasn't trying to start a partisan debate. Lets keep it about the facts and keep the parties out of it. These are massive cuts and we can't degrade the services to the degree that the iniital budget proposal projected.
McCrory is right - Perdue and the Dems are wrong.
Is there any doubt there is so much waste, inefficiency and duplicity in government.
Just make each non-essential agency cut 10 - 20% from their budgets NOW!
Anon 11:11.. what's wrong with you?! Gov't ALREADY has that money. It is a matter of cutbacks and using money where is should be used..
Obviously you haven't seen the size of the cutbacks. They don't already have the money. They are basing the 2010 budget on projected revenue in the future. They predict a $9.6 billion shortfall...
"like actually using the education lottery for.. um EDUCATION,"
- The lottery wont make up an additional $1.8 billion. Sales have been lackluster to begin with.
That said the lottery was never intended to replace funding of schools, but to add additional funs to the existing pool of General Equity funds. However the critiism was that it would eventually be used as a substitute and it has.
"or using the gas tax for ROADS and roads only. - There are numerous obvisou reasons gas tax just dosn't go to roads.
Taxes don't need to go up.. unacceptable spending needs to go DOWN, idiot."
They are terminating 18,000 educators. They need to go up. They can shift money all they want they can come close to saving these jobs nevermind the huge list of cuts to DA's courts, medical, and other education.
"I HAVE heard of people having unemployment extended while they sit home and watch TV instead of actively seeking a job."
-Anyone receiving unemployment has paid unemployment insurance. They are only eligible based on their productivity in the last 6 months. Duh. it's not free money. But I digress if you haven't noticed the unemployment rate is extrememly high right now. It's sad that you choose to insult people for utilizing funds they have earned
"I am just amazed that anyone would prefer to increase taxes, instead of dumping programs that give to people who don't work."
I know our children don't work, but god are you kidding me. Now you don't want them to get an education.. Please. Sicko
"Many probably knew nothing about McCrory or Perdue"
I know them on a first name basis and they are bith nice people. In fact I like Pat as a person more. However, i is apparent at this juncture that Bev is poissed to majke sure our education system stays the course through tough times, as well as our judicial system. Pat surely knows taxes have to be raised. He has raised them many times himself. Many times, Many times I disagreed with the reasons. But this time it's necessary. these are massive cuts. Pat knows that and he is doing his job as a Republican spokesman. That is what he is supposed to do. he knows nothing he will say will stop this and what has to be done will be done.
I sure hope Pat "I would sell my mother's soul to the devil just to get elected" McCrory runs for governor again so he and his friends in the Charlotte media can be served some cheese to go along with all that whine they have been doing. Win your own COUNTY before you throw your nose back in state business Pat. Just wait for Myrick to step down and take her seat. That's your best chance.
Tell us mayor fratboy, how would YOU save the jobs of teachers facing layoffs? How would YOU ensure no interruption in emergency services? How would YOU ensure that the basic needs of ALL in our communitites are met? Not more of your political finger pointing, SOLUTIONS are demanded.
This thread has taken on an identity in and of itself.
"I would much rather have South Carolina's State Government over NC, ours is so corrupt and wasteful....did I mention corrupt?"
Look I'm not about to put South Carolina down, but you spend a day driving through NC & the next driving through SC. you will be darn glad you live in NC and darn glad you don't have their government. Taxes or not. whtever the reason, we are in much better shape.
anyone living in the Charlotte area that voted for Perdue over McCrory has zero Political IQ and screwed themselves over to the benefit of Eastern NC and ulitmately SC
-unless you have kids in public school, work in the medical field, work in law enforcement, want more DAs, are a teacher or other educator, or a senior
"Perdue is going to run off businesses, by raising taxes. This will have the net effect of lowering Tax Revenues as the money runs away to lower tax states, naturally."
If she fires 18000 educators and raises college tuition, reduces all services to schools, will that attract fortune 500 companies who need an educated workforce? No. Will they move here if the familise don't have access to good elementary education, basic healthcare, and judicial system? No
repubs are the biggest crybabies. They have screwed this country over for 10 years and produced the worst economy since the 30's. They are never for fixing anything.
Thank God we have a great governor and President to lead us back to a prosperous economy. But all you'll ever hear from repubs are the same old stupid slogans. Crybabies and idiots.
Pat "Arena bond referendum" McCrory says no to higher taxes... Pot calls the kettle black
to the person who keep reposting others' comments and disagreeing: You are misinformed and loud with your ignorance. Shame. Terrible shame.
The problem is that we as citizens are accepting a false dichotomy. The people in charge want you to think you have to either cut education or raise taxes. There is a lot of bloat that could be cut before real and efficient minded education programs get cut. How many more jobs worth $170,000 have been doled out to political operatives? There is lots to cut that deserves to be cut before the justifiable uses of gov't need to be touched. Don't accept the false choice! Demand cuts to spending outside of law enforcement and education. Come'on does Fayettville really need a new loop? What is the real course load of tenured professors? How about cutting sports and extra-curricular activities before cutting teachers. Come on people, there are more choices than what those in power want you to think there are!!!!!
From services to the vulnerable per the General Assembly:
20% reduction in our already troubled mental health system.
Closures of rape crisis, abuse, and sexual assault centers across the state.
The victim legal assistance program will be cut, as well as other legal services for the poor.
Elimination of 25 district attorney positions and public defenders.
85 vital positions within the juvenile justice system will be cut including juvenile court counselors.
Cuts health insurance to children, increasing burden on emergency rooms, which will cost society more money.
Reduction in the reimbursement rate for Medicaid. Mecklenburg Hospitals alone will lose 35 million.
Hospice and elderly home care cut by 50% - meaning that we will deny the elderly sick assistance with bathing, meals, and clothes.
Elimination of physical and speech therapy from Medicaid.
Elimination of dental healthcare programs for children.
Cuts to nursing homes assistance, many of those that who take care of our elderly will be fired, those that remain will be paid less.
Cuts to job placement services for those suffering from mental health conditions, increasing homelessness and further dependence on government services.
Additional losses:
Termination of 500 public employees working in transportation.
Millions of dollars in law enforcement costs to be passed to counties already faced with their own budget crisis.
8 prisons to be closed, including one in Union County. This will create overcrowded prisons and many lost jobs.
If it's all the same to you 'tax hike' crybabies, I prefer to keep more teachers in the classroom, more workers improving our roads, more state troopers on the highways, more prisons open with full staff, and more DA's working to put the bad guys away. But hey, that's just me.
"to the person who keep reposting others' comments and disagreeing: You are misinformed and loud with your ignorance. Shame. Terrible shame."
- notice how that person has actual facts from individuals crafting the 2010 budget directly from the general assembly, and all you can do is people are "idiots" and yet never provide one number to back up your generic pot shots.
As someone earlier posted.. are we as a public really this naive to believe that the only place left to cut is from education?! Are we THAT gullible?? We need to realize together that they are trying to trick us into WANTING a tax hike!! Can we be smarter, please? There are other other areas to axe before education. We can avoid a tax hike.
How about cutting sports and extra-curricular activities before cutting teachers.
- They are planning to cut spoorts programs and teachers. 1.8 billion shortfall. Increasing class sizes by 2 children in all elementary schools resulting in 6k reduction in teachers in k-6 alone. It's notjust an overspending problem, prospective revenue is down significantly. Not even going to allow updated textbooks to be purchased. There has tobe some tax increase
Do some members of the voting population even know enough to make a sound selection? They liked Obama, heard somewhere that he was a Democrat, so they voted Democrat.
Perdue and her buddies are paid out of state tax money, right?
Don't blame me - I voted for Pat! :)
TAXATION IS THEFT.
REDUCE TAXES AND CUT SPENDING. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!
Unemployment taxes are paid by employers, not the employee.
To those who say raising taxes is the "only" way to go - you are flaunting your total ignorance of all things economic and fiscal. Have you examined the budget? There are agencies wasting money like crazy in government. If you raise taxes during a tight time, they will find a way to "need" that money during flush times as well. You pro-govt Dems really don't understand what you are saying. To want to put more faith into government, when it is nearly always inefficient and corrupt is just naive. Sen. Pittenger can find millions in savings just from low-lying fruit items; dig deeper and you'll find tons more. Stop reaching into the public purse every time there's a problem - soon enough that purse will be empty.
Yeah, well I am in the cross hairs of this proposal. I am fortunate enough to make over $200k. Might be time to revisit Florida again. Raleigh is out of control and the Dems are the ones running the show.
"If it's all the same to you 'tax hike' crybabies, I prefer to keep..."
Crybabies? Are you serious? Then again, that's the way of the left - call someone a name to change the subject so you don't have to argue the facts. Sound sarcastic so you seem above it all. Get real. No rational person would want to pay MORE taxes when govt is already wasting money. But to use your trick, perhaps you aren't rational...
Yeah, well I am in the cross hairs of this proposal. I am fortunate enough to make over $200k.
- It's $250k not $200k
Unemployment taxes are paid by employers, not the employee.
What came first the chicken or the egg? Where did the employer make the revenue to pay the insurance? Off of the labor of the employee. The money spent on unemployment insurancw is jusst built inot the entire benefits package an employer provides an employee. If there wasn't unemployment insurance the employee would draw more on the front end. Like the way independenct contractors get bill a higher rate per hour than a w-2 contractor or full time employee. And a w-2 contractor bills more than a full-time employee on the front end.
Regardless, maybe the unemployment payroll needs to be looked into, and some of the abusers taken off before they think of cutting necessary programs and jobs. Looks like the whole thing is a sham to make gullible people think we need higher taxes. This state already has high taxes, plus a vehicle tax, which I had not heard of in other states. CUT THE WASTE before the teachers! Military spending on new computers, cars, etc, is one splace to start. Note: not cuts in defense, just in unecessary supplies.
I voted for Pat, but I know he would be doing the same thing Bev is doing. Even cuts would be to dramatic in this situation and something has be done, some tax increases are expected. This is all political on Pat's part and a bit silly. Get over it everyone, we're in a hole and everyone has to sacrifice.
It's $200,000, not $250,000. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/politics/story/770880.html
Pat is right. We have a legislature and state government that is about as corrupt as you can get so they do not care about anythig but what they can get off the people. By the way, Representative Cothran is helping to lead the charge on this...she is safe though as she is the person who replace Jim Black, who was RE-Elected while under indictment and awaiting trial. Do you think those voters have a clue?
EXCUSE YOU ME MR PAT. I DO WORK, VERY HARD EVERYDAY. HARDER THAN THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE SIX FIGURES. YOUR PEOPLE ARE CREATING/MAKING UP JOBS FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS OR GOLF BUDDIES THAT'S PAYING 6 FIGURES OR MORE, IN WHICH THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD ONLY MAKE FROM $45K TO $60K DOING. YOU BIG WIGS PAST THE WORK TO THE ONES YOU ALL CALL THE LITTLE PEOPLE, YOU DON'T WORK. JUST LIKE TAXES, LET THE LITTLE PEOPLE PAY ALL THE TAXES AND SAY THE HECK WITH THE ONES THAT CAN AFFORD TO ACTUALLY PAY THE TAXES. THIS IS A MESS. I WOULD LOVE TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL COME JUDGEMENT DAY, BECAUSE RESUMES AND DEGREES MEANS NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO RIGHT OR WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THESE BIG WIGS DON'T KNOW WHAT A STRUGGLE IS, THAT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COUP WITH CHANGE. BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE LIVING ABOVE YOUR MEANS!!! YOU ALL ARE THIEVES IN THE NIGHT!!!
YOU IDIOTS CUT TEACHERS. OUT OF ALL THE THINGS, TEACHERS. THERE GOES THE CRIME RATE IN BALLANTYNE AND THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT FEEL THAT THEY ARE UNTOUCHABLE BY PEOPLE THAT'S IN MORE NEED THEN YOU. HEY PAT, THEY MAY JUST TARGET YOU. NO MATTER HOW MUCH EDUCATION OR WHO YOU KNOW, IT'S APPARENT THAT IGNORANCE STILL LIVES. ITS KILLING YOU ALL THAT OBAMA WON BY BASIC FUNDAMENTALS. YOU GUYS TRY TO BE SO COMPLEX ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS, GEE THANKS BUSH. THIS COUNTRY WAS BUILT WITH LITTLE OR NO EDUCATION AND HERE YOU ALL GO WITH ALL THE EDUCATION AND STILL CAN'T GET IT RIGHT.
CUTTING TEACHERS WAS A BIG MISTAKE.
If the democrats in Raleigh had to run a business and make an honest buck, they would not be employed very long... From Perdue, down... Further taxation of the people who already pay the highest percentage of their wages in taxes, as a means to close a budget shortfall, is an incompetent copout and irresponsible governing. These elected officials need to eliminate the waste throughout the state system. Once they do, they will find that they have, in fact, a surplus. If they don't eliminate that waste, they are not performing the service they took an oath to perform.
If the democrats in Raleigh had to run a business and make an honest buck, they would not be employed very long... From Perdue, down... Further taxation of the people who already pay the highest percentage of their wages in taxes, as a means to close a budget shortfall, is an incompetent copout and irresponsible governing. These elected officials need to eliminate the waste throughout the state system. Once they do, they will find that they have, in fact, a surplus. If they don't eliminate that waste, they are not performing the service they took an oath to perform.
How many times did one person post as anonymous?
For all you democrats out there - a democrat has been governor in NC since 1993 - so how on earth can you blame republicans for the mess our state is in? For the past 16 years, NC has been run by a democrat (Hunt, Easley and Perdue). Arguing about Bush in office is useless. Democrats have made our once-great state what it is today - a haven for illegal immigrants who need government services, a high tax trap for businesses and individuals, deep as doo-doo in debt, and facing a huge deficit. Put that tobacco in your pipe and smoke it.
Pat McCrory disn't say "We have a legislature and state government that is about as corrupt as you can get so they do not care about anythig but what they can get off the people."
The name is Cotham not Cothran. Do you have a clue?
It's not a democrat issue or a republican issue that go our state in the shape it's in & it wont be either one that gets us out. It's going to take bipartisanship. You can't cut 12,000+ educators jobs and think the result is going to be good. There will need to be some tax increase somewhere to some degree.
Its hard for me to believe how nieve people can be regarding budget shortfalls.
If you run out of money in your wallet do you spend more? No, you do without something you want be really don't need.
Did you know that out taxes are now paying for home health care for 105 illegal persons. That's right your tax money and mine is paying for someone else's care that should not even be here.. Its a fact, and a small sample of what goes on in Raleigh.
Change the leadership, its the only chance we have for this state.
We would not need so many teachers if "parents" sent there kids to school with some respect for authority and an appetite for a education. But we need them because a significant portion of Charlotte parents see school as the equivalency of state-sponsored daycare whilst they watch Maury Pauvich and Oprah during the day. Hold the parents accountable and class sizes of 40 kids will be manageable.
Yes, definitely raise the income taxes so all those retired people and businesses will move to another state. Stop the growth of NC. What a brilliant idea. I never realized how brilliant the State Gov is. God are we lucky.
I am one of those "evil" rich who with my wife make just over $250,000. I don't feel rich, my bank account doesn't look like I am rich, so why should I pay more taxes?
We moved to NC last year for the lower cost of living, and will have no problem leaving the state if taxes go up. The advantage of owning your own business, you can leave when it is not cost effective.
We can't continue this idea of one group of people paying for everything, nor can we raise the sales tax in this environment. It's time to rebuild government from the ground up. Let's determine what we should be doing and then figure out the most efficient way to deliver those services. Then set the income tax at whatever level is needed for everyone to pay for it.
Someone in government needs to be accountable and responsible with our money. Considering the corruption of the previous governor which is only revealed after another Democrat is elected, I would think there are plenty of opportunities to save.
silly liberals...if you raise taxes, the wealthy will and should react by cutting jobs (from the middle class) to save money...leading to less (not more)overall tax revenues...here's an idea: I have to spend less than I earn. Liberals should learn how to spend less.
As I said before, If the democrats in Raleigh had to run a business and make a profit and an honest buck, they would not be employed very long... From Perdue, down... Further taxation of the people who already pay the highest percentage of their wages in taxes, as a means to close a budget shortfall, is an incompetent copout and irresponsible governing. These elected officials need to eliminate the waste throughout the state system. Once they do, they will find that they have, in fact, a surplus. If they don't eliminate that waste, they are not performing the service they took an oath to perform.
Mr. McCrory, please keep going. You are our best hope right now.
Someone said raise taxes to make all the retired people move to another state. Financially that ould benefit the state, because seniors are typically on a fixed income and not producing income any longer. So they tend to be one of our most vulnerable populations the proposed budget cut affect seniors very much. And one of the main reasons to raise tax revenue, it is to help seniors.
Regardless, maybe the unemployment payroll needs to be looked into, and some of the abusers taken off before they think of cutting necessary programs and jobs.
Looks like the whole thing is a sham to make gullible people think we need higher taxes. This state already has high taxes"
- On average North Carolina has low taxes. That's why people started moving here from up North. As far as all of the people abusing unemployment, you are on crack if you think the high unemployment numbers are made up to make people think we need higher taxes. Clearly unemployment has increased. But I would like you to explain how cutting off unemployment will create less competition for jobs. Obviously it would create more competiton.
That said unemployment INSURANCE is a fund paid into for the event someone is unemployed. Your benefits are based on your productivity and earnings over the previous 6 months. It is not tax money that can be used to fund
the state budget. Duh
McCrory has nothing to say in the matter. He is the mayor of Charlotte. Taxes will increase. And he would raise them too. It's just good PR to blame the Democrats because he has no skin in the game. When you have a 4 billion dollar shortfall at the state level, you have to close that gap to some degree. He knows that. Anyone touting him as a leader of lower taxes is the person pulling a straight ticket. He has supported almost every tax increase charlotte has visited.
Democrackkks, the ORIGINAL party of SLAVERY have RULED NC for over 112+ years with ONLY 2 republican govs. during that span. Democrackkks have RUINED NC, and Bev Perdue is one sleazy-ass biotch, like ALL the sleazy-ass democrackkk legislators DAMN a bunch of NC democrackkks right here!
The budget needs to be cut. Look at the numbers yourself, google "osbm state nc historical budget" and look at how the budget has increased. It's almost doubled since 2000 -- and the population in that time has only increased from 800k to 950k. The state is taking more and more and more ... it has to stop. Yes, reality hurts -- education and all the other state/local services need to have their budgets slashed.
The taxpayers have taken a haircut, it's time for the state to do the same and learn to live within their means. It's not right to rob Peter (private employees) to pay Paul (state employees).
on population, I meant:
800m to 950m
Sheesh.
Population
2000 8049313
2010 9491374
The loss of 18,000 educators is not good however NC public education especially CMS is terribly inefficient and corrupt. Here are some numbers from CMS's website (2008-2009): number of full time teachers: 9,363. number of students: 137,180. the ratio is 14.6 students to one full time teacher. Yet CMS classes are frequently more than 20 at the elementary level and larger than 35 at the high school level. In addition there are 8,945 "support staff." So the ratio of teachers and support staff to students is 1 to 7.5. and the total number of CMS employees (19,485) to students is 1 to 7. Seems to me like it could at least be a little bit more efficient. Throwing more money at CMS is certainly not the answer and I do not think making cuts will set us back decades.
They could have even saved more jobs if they would just cut the school year by 2 weeks. Most High School students at CMS watch videos for the last 2 weeks since AP, IB and EOC exams come in the middle of May but school ends June 11. In fact I saw Bailey Middle School students at the Y on a "field trip" to play in the lake and pool on Monday.
Politicians always threaten huge cuts to education because they know that those cuts are, in fact, unreasonable and the populace will oppose them. THEN, they can raise our taxes--with our approval, no less! It is voter manipulation. This governor keeps hiring her cronies at high salaries, and is not touching lots of pet projects, but she has us running scared and demanding that taxes be raised. Quite the manipulator!!
The citizens of North Carolina who vote for these 'progressives' are just plain stupid and since we have had years and years and years of democratic 'rule' with them changing their minds and manipulating the system, we must have lots of just plain stupid people in North Carolina. Look at the Easley scandal now for proof. Look at the Purdue lies for proof.
I am one of those who bust my butt and make over $200K. It is not a lot of money these days with a family to raise, college to pay for. I work from 5am-11pm and have done this for years. I can tell you I have my home for sale and I am moving to another state who is a little more 'friendly' to people who make this economy work. There will be fewer and fewer of them....in case you haven't realized, people that live on the border states of NC live in SC or TN and commute. Businesses set up out of NC. Wake up people, before you get taken over by the feds as California is just about ready to have happen and then the US Government will control everything you do, say and eat! Don't think it can/will happen....just watch. These idiots like BO and company are more than socialists they are facists! Look at the czars they have just appointed--sounds like the old communist Russia? These czars account to no one but BO and company--not to the congress, no one. What you have known as a great place to live --the USA-- is getting ready to becomoe the worse, led by the feds, followed closely by states such as North Carolina. The state of Tennessee, Florida and Arizona have much better roads, and economy and guess what---no state income tax! How do they do that? Duh? Ever think we were getting 'taken'..??? But plenty of just plain stupid people continue to vote for the same-ole, same-ole and lose to other states. Why we have the 49th worst educational system? DUH!
I can't wait to get out of this horrible tax and spend 'poor-mouth' state. These socialists can find someone to steal from, to 'balance' their give-away programs but it won't be me!
Reaganomics, and Reagan era policies will make sense, and be implemented when the time comes, it won't be to late, but it won't be much fun until then either
I sure wish Munger had been elected. I also wish for a fiscally responsible House and Senate, whom spend tax money wisely instead of freely. Trying to maintain tax revenues (raise taxes in this case) in order to continue spending causes long term damage. They should instead accept whatever income comes, and only spend that.
Where to cut? All those minute programs across the state that should have been locally funded in the first place. People mention education as hands-off. It should also be locally funded, and not state controlled.
There simply are too many left leaning Republicans, Democrats, and independents in North Carolina to do anything about Democrats hiking taxes. A lot of our problem stems from providing services, schools, healthcare, and everything else illegal immigrants thoroughly enjoy here. The state is filling up with illegals and we are paying higher taxes for social systems and to build new schools. They are working jobs laid off Americans would work and that would increase the tax base. In the meantime a lot of Democrats never work so they will vote for anyone in their party regardless of what they advocate. Democrats have ruled N.C. for more than 50 consecutive years and businesses continue moving to South Carolina and other places at an alarming rate. The latest move was Continental Tire from Continental Blvd to South Carolina. Democrats have NO wisdom, when they should cut they raise taxes. We know what that does.
"Funny that's what happened all over North Carolina this past election, & it was Republicans who were purged."
The person making that statement apparently is clueless. Republicans where not purged from state government. They have never really been in power in this state.
Republican were purge on the national level and the country is paying a hugh price for that ridiculous move. Barak has managed to get a deficit of 1.85 trillion in just 130 days. That is mind boggling when you consider Bush's largest deficit was only 400 billion and Democrats were moaning about it. The projects for the federal deficit for the next 10 years is some 11 to 12 trillion dollars. That's the stupid purge that person is talking about. Getting back to the state, that's where everyone else was except the person I quoted. We need to purge Democrats. We also need to recognise Democrats and left wing socialist maquerading as Republicans. They do that all the time.
I say cut the spending level. If anyone is in favor of tax increases, let them have the stones to raise taxes for everyone. After all, if we're in such dire need, shouldn't everyone participate in the solution? Shouldn't everyone feel the pain?
I think such a drastic measure would make more people aware of what our government is spending our money on.
Taxes that should be raised:
Sales, Tobacco/Alcohol, and we should consider legalizing casinos and taxing the heck out of them.
Taxes that should be cut: Income, capital gains, inheritance.
And Bev, I voted for you and will do so again, but put the lottery money back where it belongs.
This is coming from a Blue Dog Democrat who wishes for 100 more years of Democrats in control of Raleigh.
There should be a flat income tax for everybody. If you want to raise the income tax, then do it across the board. Its simple math-10% of 250,000 is more than 10% of 25,000. Everyone should share in the shortfalls of our elected officials. The inability of our state government to balance a budget and control spending should truly be felt by the entire electorate not just the "wealthy." If everyone's income taxes were increased, there would be unified outrage and then changes would be made. I love how you can't discriminate against someone's race, religion, and sex but you can discrimination against income in the tax code.
North Carolina already has the highest income rate in the Southeast. How much higher do you think it can go before people start leaving the state? Ask Michigan how over taxing the wealthy worked after the car industry went belly up.
For all of you who voted straight ticket for Obama in November, I hope you enjoy the cuts your Demomcrat representatives are enacting. Maybe next election, you'll go line by line on each candidate and make an informed decision. Bev Purdue is a Mike Sleasley clone who has no new ideas to help our moronic legislature balance a budget. Oh, I forgot. How about raising taxes?
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