Hold on to Your Wallets!

It is now evident that the House budget leaders are aiming right at our wallets and doing exactly what our state economy does not need: making a political move to counter President Bush’s tax rebate rather than making the right decision for North Carolina.

Here is what one state legislator said back in June: “…I do think there is a good case to be made that, insofar as George W. Bush giveth…we could taketh away.”

Jonathan Hill, director of Citizens for a Sound Economy issued the following statement:

“It is interesting that just as North Carolinians are getting federal tax relief our legislators are digging deeper into our pockets. This is not good news for taxpayers or our faltering economy.

“Even former state treasurer Harlan Boyles stated, ‘In 2001, spending is our problem. We are our problem.’ Are our budget leaders not listening? Why are they continuing to present false choices and looking only at tax increases rather than getting the budget in line with what money we have to spend. They need to stop playing politics and solve this problem without raising taxes!

“North Carolinians pay over 40% of their hard earned money in taxes and work 117 days to pay their tax burden. That is enough! They deserve to have their representatives look for options that will not increase their tax burden and take away their federal tax relief. This state tax plan is burdensome and unnecessary and will harm our wavering economy.

“Legislators need to take note that a vote for this plan is a vote for tax increases and clearly a vote against the hardworking people of North Carolina. Citizens will be watching how legislators vote on the crucial tax plan and whether they will keep their promise to the taxpayers. How they vote and whether they vote will be remembered by the people of North Carolina.”