Whoa! Arizona Backs Sales Tax Increase

[Are_grits_groceries]

Arizona voters were headed Tuesday night toward approving a temporary sales tax increase championed by a Republican governor who, despite angering conservative supporters, embraced it as the only way to avert sharp cuts in education and other services.

Although the spotlight has been on the state over a get-tough immigration enforcement bill that the governor, Jan Brewer, signed last month, the state’s fiscal crisis, among the worst in the nation, has loomed large. The one-cent increase in the sales tax, to 6.6 cents per dollar for the next three years, is expected to raise nearly more than $900 million in the first year.

Ms. Brewer, the former secretary of state who took office last year after Janet Napolitano became Homeland Security secretary, has found herself struggling to close a gaping hole in the budget wrought by a 30 percent decline in revenue in a state among the hardest hit by foreclosures.

Had the tax failed, a contingency budget approved by the legislature would have cut money for schools, health care, state police officers and other services.
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Several states have raised taxes to cope with budget shortfalls but Arizona is one of the few to successfully put it to voters.
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There's more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/us/20arizona.html?hp

This is news. It is obscured by all the other stories. A lot of other states need to do the same thing.

Brewer doesn't get a pass for signing the heinous "Papers Please" law. However, she certainly broke one the major tenets of conservatism by not vetoing the increase. They think LOWER TAXES was a phrase at the bottom of the tablets Moses brought down from the mountain.

[zbdent]

1. well, they're standing to lose tourist $$$ with their "immigrant" law ...

so let them pay for their stupidity!

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. I don't disagree with that.

However, raising any kind of tax is a surprise when a GOOper is in charge.

[SoCalDem]

3. "...to 6.6 cents per dollar for the next three years..." ..sounds like a bargain to ME

It should have been more than 1cent..

States have to some to grips with the nasty fact that it costs MONEY to run a government..


and they also need to present a REAL budget..with NO pork to their buddies, and make that budget like families do.. with the important things FIRST

I don't really thing people mind paying taxes IF, their money is well-used for important things.

[Hannah Bell]

4. sales tax hits the poor hardest & is a conservative policy. she didn't break any tenets.

when they say "no new taxes" they mean, no new taxes on rich people.

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. I disagree.

"despite angering conservative supporters"
Any tax increase is regarded as a step down the slippery slope to major taxation.

They mean no new taxes period.

[Hannah Bell]

6. the rank and file may mean that, but not the pros.

gotta fund the war and the police, you know.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Read My Lips

Racist Bastids! Now the entire state will pay for the Gov's political brownie points.

[Captain Hilts]

8. State taxes are very regressive and sales taxes among the worst offenders. nt

[Are_grits_groceries]

9. I stand corrected on ststes passing this type of tax.

However, they need to pass something that will increase revenue.