Posted on 04/24/2019 8:11:13 AM PDT by hsmomx3
PHOENIX – On Monday, the head of Arizona’s Republican Party, Kelli Ward, surprised the rank with the announcement that she is supporting a tax increase. Senate Education Chair Sylvia Allen and House Education Chair Michelle Udall have proposed legislation to increase Arizona’s sales tax.
“As the former Chair of the Senate Education Committee—and now Chairman of the Republican Party of Arizona—I stand with Senate Sen. Allen and Rep. Udall in urging the passing of SCR 1001 and HCR 2024,” said Ward in a press release. “Once more, the Republican Party can lead the way in championing new funding for Arizona’s schools.”
Years ago, Arizona voters passed Proposition 301, which created a 6/10 of a cent sales tax dedicated to Arizona’s public schools. Ward, Allen and Udall want to voters to approve their “penny proposal.”
“As chair of the Senate Education Committee, my vision is for a revenue stream that allows everyone to participate; supports local control; and provides long-term funding for Arizona’s classrooms, university students, and community colleges,” said Sen. Allen, whose family stands to benefit through an ownership in charter schools. “Most importantly, it is a revenue stream that is passed by Arizona voters at the ballot box.”
Conservative community leader, Jose Borrajero, who runs the popular Arizona People’s Lobbyist website, questioned Republican Party support for the proposal. “I have been a lifetime Republican, but cannot understand the recent infatuation of some Republicans with tax increases, which is totally anathema to the Republican Party platform. In fact, the following language is found on the Republican Party website (http://www.az.gop/): “You better believe tax cuts work! Republicans believe you should keep more of your own money.” Yet we find Kelli Ward, the AZ GOP chairman supporting and promoting a huge sales tax increase. Don’ be fooled by the “only a penny” language. The current state sales tax rate is 5.60%. The bills that Ward supports will add 1.00%, for a total rate of 6.6%. That is a 17.85% increase! But it gets worse. Most counties and municipalities have their own sales taxes, so realistically, if this scheme succeeds, most Arizonans will be paying 9.60%, among the highest in the nation.”
I think the first thing to do is for politicians to stop stealing so much money from governments they run and lobbyists so they will have more money to pay for basic governmental programs.
All tax increases are to pay for the pensions.
Whenever they say “it’s for the schools” they really mean “it’s for the teachers unions”.
L
we cut taxes, shes in the wrong party
Abolish government schools. Then abolish the “property tax”.
Must be a mistake. Ward is a RINO, not a Republican.
Funds for ANYTHING other than private schools is akin to throwing your money into an outhouse hole, then taking a bodacious Obama on it.
John Engler fell for this scam as Governor of Michigan.
Now they have high sales AND property taxes.
I find it amazing that politicians NEVER even consider the other side of the shortfall in operating budgets: cutting expenses. The assumption is that public education is so efficient and streamlined there's no need to even consider cutting expenses. Federal clowns make the same assumption.
NEWS FLASH: Retired people in AZ probably don't give a crap about leftist educational funding and even those who do have kids in school aren't happy with the output.
I knew there was something about Ward that I did not like.
Ward probably has no choice regarding taxes. Not letting her off on this, and I don’t know any specifics in Arizona, but I seriously doubt this is a voluntary move on her part.
The whole tax scheme to pay for schools in many states is really screwed up. The unions are a problem, too bad they have not been eliminated. I wonder also how many of Arizona’s students are illegal aliens and anchor babies? The cost of their education belongs to liberals and the federal government.
I wish!!
Heard there is a plan to have a teacher walk-out (again!) on May 1st. Each time they get a raise they say it’s never enough.
She didn’t run on higher taxes when she ran for US Senator. The AZGOP is in trouble as far as I’m concerned if they keep going down this road for higher taxes.
I know: when pigs fly.
But the first step is to talk about it.
We need a massive overhaul of the public school system. I hope this is a high priority in Trump’s second term.
Schools again?
This is the standard excuse to raise taxes, — then, lo and behold, - the money never makes it to the schools. Campbell’s soup labels don’t even make it to the schools for sports equipment.
Arizona Government is extremely corrupt, on all levels, with tax increases, - it (ultimately) involves giving taxpayer’s money to the Phoenix Suns, or Arizona Diamondbacks.
I was thinking the same thing. Someone is pulling her puppet strings.
I couldn’t agree more.
You czn’t even trust the supposed good ones anymore!
I believe the retired people can have their property taxes frozen.
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