Hypocrisy Among Tennessee's Leftists? No! Really?

The Tennessean ^ | June 29, 2004 | Mark A. Rose

[Bill Hobbs]

The hypocrisy coming from Tennesseans for Fair Taxation (TFT) is amusing. TFT opposes a measure currently working its way through Congress that would allow residents of non-income tax states to deduct the sales taxes they pay on federal tax returns.

This is a curious about-face by TFT, because if you visit their Web site and read "Six Reasons to Support the Tax Relief & Reform Act," you will find reason No. 3: "It will save $580 million now being sent to Washington. By changing from a sales-tax based system to an income-tax based system, Tennessee can take advantage of federal laws that allow taxpayers to deduct state income taxes from their federal returns, saving Tennessee taxpayers millions."

Federal deductibility is a major selling point of income tax advocates. But since efforts to pass an income tax failed two years ago, TFT apparently opposes expanding the federal deductibility to include sales taxes.

According to TFT's chairman, "This does nothing to solve the problem of unfair taxes in Tennessee. If anything, it makes matters worse." Well, it makes matters worse for TFT, because expanding federal deductibility takes away a battering ram used in years past to sell the income tax.

[NewRomeTacitus]

TFT must have heard Hillary's little speech about imposing higher taxes and started salivating in unison.

I tried to post a comment on your site but got a message stating I hadn't satisfied required parameters. What do you need other than a name and an email address? I don't have a URL to put in the URL box.

[Redbob]

What's going on in this attempt to make sales taxes deductible is a perfect illustration of what happens when a majority is not affected by a tax;

Since the majority of states have income taxes and won't be affected, what is the incentive for their congresscritters to vote for deductibility of sales taxes?