Tea Party Movement Gains Momentum

Tea Party Movement Gains Momentum

Of course, what’s interesting about the Tea Party movement, whatever its success, is that it is pretty much about what it says it is - lower taxes and less government spending. A lot of people, Republican and Democrat, are concerned about our escalating debt and what this might mean for future generations. This is clearly a serious subject for serious discussion from whatever side of the issue you fall out on, but… no matter… the moment something gains momentum out comes the derangement crowd. In a certain way, it’s a sign of success.    Roger Simon  http://pajamasmedia.com  

Taxed Enough Already (TEA) information can be found at http://taxdayteaparty.com    (Be patient with URL, as the server is getting double duty on US Tax deadline day!)   The web site has a state-by-state “find a tea party in your state” list of cities that the grassroots movement has sprung up in, and where the Tea Party (round 2) will be held.   In this blog, we posted about the original Rick Santelli (CNBC business reporter) on his ‘rant and rave’ about higher gov’t spending and too much government, and his call for a Chicago Tea Party (March 3^rd post).   On February 27^th, a number of 1^st round Tea Party protests and rallies were held.    Now the second round is planned for US Tax day:  the April 15^th deadline to pay your 2008 income taxes.

In Colorado, Tea Party events are to be held in Colorado Springs, Craig, Delta, Denver, Durango, Loveland, Montrose, Grand Junction, Fort Collins, Pueblo, Steamboat Springs, Walsenburg and Woodland Park.   (Blogger note:   Boulder and Aspen are absent from list.   Do the fine residents of these towns really think all is well, and taxes are too low?)

In New Mexico, Tea Party events are to be held on April 15^th in Artesia, Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Clovis, Farmington, Hobbs, Las Cruces, Roswell, Ruidoso, Santa Fe, Silver City and Taos. 

Meanwhile the political left is trying their level best to discount, diminish and dumb down the Tea Party political movement.   In fact at the Huffington Post, “citizen journalists” can sign up to cover the Tea Parties:   “The Huffington Post wants to have citizen journalists at as many of these events as possible. If you think you'd be interested in attending one of the Tea Parties and reporting back to us with dispatches, photos, or video, click here to sign up. We'll contact you shortly with further instructions.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com 

We’ll contact you shortly with further instructions?      From whom?   To really cover the Tea Party events, or just try to discount this grass roots American movement?    

Back to the Tea Party movement.    Many Americans, from the political left and right, Republican & Democrat, independent and other political parties are alarmed as the massive US Government spending, expansion of Federal programs coming from Washington DC and the Congressional appetite for more spending, more taxes and more government “top down” solutions.    Thus the Tea Party movement. 

On April 14^th, at the National Press Club   http://npc.press.org    the Citizens Against Government Waste  http://www.cagw.org    gave their annual press conference on the 2009 Pig (pork) Book.   This well researched document (available from the web site) details wasteful US government spending and pork.     While it is disappointing for taxpayers to read, the annual Pig Book details the members of Congress and their pork spending ways.   You can find the “Porker of the Year” and the other details on the big spenders in the Congress.   

Let’s look at what the wasteful government spending leads to:  Higher taxes at the local, state and Federal level.   In 2008, the “Cost of Government Day” was July 16^th.  According to Citizens Against Government Waste, “Cost of Government Day for 2008 is July 16.  Americans now work more than half of the year 197 days to pay their share of the cost of government with 84 of those days due to federal spending alone.  This year, the average American will need to work an additional 16 days out of the year to pay off his or her cost of government compared to 2000 and four days compared to last year.”

Will the massive spending in 2009 push the “Cost of Government Day” into August?

If you are tired of more government programs, irresponsible spending and inevitable tax increases, we’ll see you tomorrow at the Tea Party event near you.

© 2009, Jasper Welch, Four Corners Media, www.jasperwelch.org     

NM Dems Ready to Raise Taxes

NM Dems Ready to Raise Taxes

According to the Rio Grande Foundation  http://riograndefoundation.org  tax collections in New Mexico have increased even through the income tax rates are going down.   According to Paul Gessing, “New Mexico is collecting more money from its personal income tax than ever before despite having reduced rates by more than 40 percent. In fact, in FY 2003, the year in which the first rate cut – from 8.2 percent to 7.7 percent – took effect, New Mexico’s personal income tax generated approximately $923 million. In FY 2008, the tax is expected to generate $1.18 billion, an increase of 28 percent in just five years. Over the same time period, FY 2003 to FY 2008, New Mexico’s overall tax revenues rose from just under $3.9 billion to $5.9 billion, an increase of more than 51 percent. So, while rate cuts slowed the growth of personal income tax revenues, economic growth made up for a significant percentage of this “lost” tax revenue.”  

 Here are the income tax rate reductions in New Mexico: 

Calendar Year  2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008

Tax Rate         8.20% 7.70% 6.80% 5.70% 5.30% 5.30% 4.90%

But the Democrat legislators in Santa Fe are ready to raise taxes, despite the success of economic growth over the past 6 years in which state income tax revenues went up 28%, even though the NM income tax rate as cut from 8.2% to 4.9%.      

 

House Bill 346 is being proposed by Representative Mimi Sewart in response to the budget shortfall being experienced in New Mexico, primarily due the reduction in natural resource taxes (several taxes, oil/gas gross receipts, mining and coal production).     So if you are short on revenues, not it is time to raise NM income and gross receipts taxes?    

Here is the e-mail update from ACI (NM Chamber of Commerce):  HB-346 is being sponsored by Rep. Mimi Stewart and it will be heard by the House Tax & Revenue Committee on February 4, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. (or ½ hour after the floor adjourns) in Room 317.  This bill proposes the gross receipt tax rate be increased by .5%.  In addition the bill also proposes an increase in the personal income tax rate (PIT). The PIT would increase in tax year 2010 from 4.9 percent to 6 percent for married persons filing jointly with taxable income of at least $24,000 and for single persons with taxable income of at least $16,000.  The additional revenue would be earmarked for public education.  To track the bill: www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/BillFinder.aspx

This opposition by ACI is not only based on the increase in NM income and gross receipts taxes, but the lack of fiscal accountability for our NM public schools, as many schools do not have audits.  Beverlee McClure, CEO Association of Commerce & Industry 2.3.09

For current information on HB 346 (and all of the 2009 NM legislative session), log on to New Mexico Votes www.newmexicovotes.org   

Let see.  Democrats sponsoring a bill to raise taxes (not cut spending) to help fund education, in which many NM schools do not have audited financial statements (lack of financial accountability).   After 6 years of positive revenue growth (partially due to the Governor supported and Roundhouse supported income tax cuts), suddenly we are going to reverse this progress and attempt to raise taxes at exactly the wrong time?

If you can, a call to your NM legislator is in order!