Your input matters. I encourage all residents of District 59 to participate in these surveys. This question will remain open until April 30th.
It’s always a good time to close the tax loopholes and end the special deals that cronies and special interests receive from state government. During a recession, when each of us has to be concerned about making every dollar go as far as it can, the need for open, transparent state finances is particularly acute. The non-partisan Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (at www.gbpi.org) estimates these give-aways in the hundreds of millions of dollars. This is money we should be using to help close the gap between income and expenses so that we can balance the state budget.
The problem is, the same political clout that got them their tax breaks in the first place protects their tax breaks now. The majority that controls the Legislature will prevent our voting – or even debating – whether or not we should close these outrageous tax loopholes.
Instead of this common-sense solution to Georgia ’s fiscal crisis, it looks as if we may have to make a much harder choice. We in the Legislature may have to cast a vote to chose between two less-than-desirable alternatives. This is the choice the politicians in charge may give us: EITHER remove the sales tax exemption from groceries OR cut state funding of our schools.
These are not good choices. These are not the choices I would offer. There are other ways to go. But this is the choice the leaders of the Legislature may force upon us.
I want to know where you stand.
If it comes to a vote in the Legislature EITHER to remove the sales tax exemption from groceries OR to cut state funding of our schools, which would you support?
