Posted on 12/19/2001 4:48:12 AM PST by GailA
NEWS FAX from the
Office of Senator Jeff Miller
311 War Memorial Building
Nashville, TN 37243
Contact: Gloria Gray at (615) 741-3794 or 1-800-449-TENN
Ext. 13794, or FAX (615) 741-7200
For Immediate Release December 18, 2001
Miller, Beavers Announce Bill to Create Volunteer Tax Me More Fund
NASHVILLE -- State Senator Jeff Miller (R-Cleveland) today announced that he is introducing a bill to create the Volunteer Tax Me More Fund. Senators Bobby Carter (R-Jackson) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Williamson County) join him as prime Senate co-sponsors. Rep. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) will sponsor the measure in the House.
"For three long years we have seen a push by a few to impose a state income tax. Many flimsy excuses have been given for imposing this unwanted tax upon the taxpayers," stated Senator Miller.
"Some income tax advocates have even argued publicly that they feel guilty because they pay so little in taxes to the state of Tennessee. Others have tried to argue that a state income tax would be fairer because, unlike the sales tax, a state income tax would be deductible as an itemized deduction on the federal 1040 Income Tax Return for the less than 20% of the people who are able to itemize instead of taking the standard deduction.
"The good governor of the state of Arkansas, the Honorable Mike Huckabee, has provided us with the solution. The solution to both of the problems of guilt and deductibility is provided for in the Internal Revenue Code. Let these people feel guilty no more!" said Senator Miller.
"In this season of generous giving, we invite, no, we urge all the income tax advocates who feel guilty to go ahead and give before the end of this calendar year so that they can achieve equity in taxation through deductibility," urged Rep. Beavers.
"Don't delay! Next year the Bush tax rate cuts are scheduled to be lower than this year, making the deduction potentially worth more this year than next year and in future years, at least through 2010. Give like there's no tomorrow, while it is yet called Today. Remember, this achieves the equity in taxation that income tax advocates want," concluded Rep. Beavers.
Legal Services is now drafting the language for the Volunteer Tax Me More Fund bill. As currently proposed, the measure would (1) praise Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for originating the Tax Me More Fund; (2) note that charity in general is a good thing; (3) note that this year Tennessee was listed as second in the nation in charitable giving; and (4) cite 26 USC Code Section 170 (c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code which provides for the deductibility of gifts to states, listing it first.
The bill also would require the three constitutional officers elected by the General Assembly to proclaim notice to all Tennessee citizens each April 1st about their right to make deductible charitable contributions to the state of Tennessee. Also, the bill would require them to publish a list of names of all those who have previously made contributions specifically earmarked to the Volunteer Tax Me More Fund, if those people so choose to be listed.
"This notice and list could easily be prominently posted on the existing home Web pages of the Secretary of State, the Treasurer, and the Comptroller every April 1st and remain there until April 15th or the Monday after whenever the 15th falls on a weekend," noted Senator Miller.
"I understand one suggested amendment being discussed is to require the governor to post this notice also. But that provision might not take effect until April 1st, 2003. Another idea is to have the governor remind people of this option at Christmastime."
Senator Blackburn stated: "Those who have advocated a state income tax because they feel guilty about how little they pay in taxes in Tennessee can stop feeling guilty. They do not need the power of government to separate them from their money. They can voluntarily contribute it to the state and have their names listed publicly on April 1st through the end of tax filing season."
Tennessee General Assembly http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ Click Here
The beautiful simplicity of this approach to taxes continues to spread like a virus. Please oh please let this fan the flames of anti-taxation throughout the country and into national politics. Take up the flag Republicans!!!!!!!!
Every dollar kept out of Washington is a dollar they can't waste, or use against the States and the people by threatening to withhold funds.
It's a step towards the way the Founders intended for the Federal government to be funded as well, that is, by apportionment amoung the people of the States.
During the many many month long battle the pro tax hike public and the anti tax hike public fought it out on talk radio and in the newspapers. Well, local radio talk host on 680 AM WPTF, Jerry Agar, tired of hearing liberal callers demanding tax hikes and opposed to virtually any reduction in the state budget came up with the "Generous Jerry Agar Offer." It was simple. Any person who could show him a cancelled check proving that they paid above and beyond their tax liability to either that state or federal government would get 1 hour of his show to use as they pleased. And this wasnt a little one day promotion gimick. For a MONTH Jerry spoke about his offer and tried very hard to get someone to take him up on his offer. Well, needless to say NO ONE was able to show him that they paid more in taxes than they owed so the offer was never accepted.
And just look at all the donation pouring into the Arkansas "Tax Me More Fund." All of $260 last I heard!
Liberals want YOU to pay more in taxes at the point of a gun, but will not pay more themselves without it being forced upon them.
Blackburn and Beavers must be the only two, on the Hill, that have any intelligence at all.
Lord knows...ol' Don Tax-n-Spendquist (with his loyal minion Bobby Rochelle) doesn't have a clue about the Real World, since both of them won their first election.
I wonder if we have any Republicans in Virginia willing to start a fund like this?
Marsha wouldn't agree to run for governor because, right now, she is needed more desperately in the Senate. Van Hillery worried me greatly as he seems to believe that the government (namely the feds) should be in control of a lot of things that they have no constitutional authority to be involved with (education, health care, etc.). He's a really nice fella but a typical politican. I'd like to see Marsha in the governor's office, Mae in a Senate seat and several more REALLY conservative Reps. and Senators in the general assembly.
You would think that the presidental election would have shown some of these morons like Spendquist where the people of this state stand on the issues. After all, if Al Bore had won his "home state", Florida wouldn't really have mattered that much....
I can just hear the libs....oh no! not that
Nearly every Republican for more taxes in Tennessee is from the Lamar Alexander clan. He is no conservative. He raised taxes himself while Governor. His minions go on the local talk shows and push the big business/big government partnership. This usually equates to lots of goodies for corporations, a larger and more intrusive government, and higher taxes for the citizens. They sell all of this with the mantra that James Carville pushed; "It's the economy stupid!"
Michael Savage refers to these folks as the "Business Roundtable" republicans. They have interest in only one issue and that is money. They care not about social issues, morality, national identity or any other "family values" platforms. They assemble at the country club and compare stock portfolios. Their companies have numerous tax shelters so tax talk does not concern them.
In Tennessee part of the trade off for a state tax would be a reduction in taxes on stock profits. Some of these big money Republicans would actually pay fewer taxes under the tradeoff.
1.If the majority of the people truly want more government and services that it provides, then a voluntary tax will EASILY raise that money.
2. If the voluntary contribution of more taxes does not come to pass, then, the postulation that the people actually want more government and social spending is perfectly refuted.
3. The alternative to #'s 1&2 above, is for direct confiscatory taxation FORCED upon the people.
At least then we could get the Democrats to call taxation what it REALLY is.
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