Appeal filed as BOC and BOE discuss Tax Assessors issue
Featured Stories, News August 20, 2022
GILMER COUNTY, Ga. – Both the BOC’s special meeting and the BOE’s monthly work session saw discussion after falling median sales ratios in the Tax Assessors Office could set the county up for another state consent order and penalties in fees.
Chief Appraiser, Theresa Gooch stated that if the county’s median falls below a 38, the first consequence comes as the possibility of losing some public utility money or tax revenue. This number comes from the state’s Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA) studies that occur annually. This means the Audit will look at samples of sales in the year and look at the sale value and compare that to what the county Tax Assessors assessed the value at. Since the state expects the assessors to set there evaluations at 40 percent of the property’s value. The optimum ratio, according to the state, is set between 38 and 42 percent so that there is no major variations.
However, to “pass” the audit, a term presented by BOE Finance Director Trina Penland, the assessed evaluations must fall between 36 percent and 44 percent, allowing for a 4 percent margin of error on either side as some might say. The report of the test samples for 2021 in Gilmer County fell to 35.88 percent, according to Penland’s report.
The study lags, however, according to Gooch who explained that the Department uses 2021 sales to set 2021 values while the county must use 2020 sales to anticipate and set expected 2021 values. The time lag also comes as the county has to have its values set by January 1, 2021. The state, however, comes later as Gooch said in the August 2022 meeting that the county just received the study results. Since the county’s and the states values are at odds, the discrepancy arises. The difference is so stark this year with the rising inflation and market values in just the course of one year.
There is no immediate consequence this year as the county is not under an official review year, Gooch said that will take place next year with regards to the 2022 assessments currently in their final stages. The Tax Assessors will use this information to set the expected 2023 values, but the state will wait until the end of 2023 to set those values based on actual sales.
With the current issue, she urged the county to formally file an appeal to have their concerns on record that Gilmer is “not happy with the findings.” Additionally, Gooch noted that the county could rise up again and make the requirement by next year’s review, but she has concerns if the state continues studies with the time difference allowing major influences to change market values drastically between the county’s anticipatory values from 2022 and the states actuals from 2023.
Not meeting the state required study median causes a fine, County Chairman Charlie Paris noted $174,000. The option is going under a consent order. Paris also noted that the last time the county was under a consent order, “it cost us more than paying the fine.”
In addition to those, Penland reported to the BOE that the Tax Assessors will also have to change their ratios for the digest in coming years, further reducing the money collected for both the Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners budgets.
Gilmer County is not the only county going through this issue currently as Penland showed reports from 2019, 2020, and 2021 audits with more and more counties falling out of compliance each year. In the 2021, the majority of North Georgia along with counties all over the state are facing this same issue of being out of compliance.
Gooch reported that the last time Gilmer County was out of compliance, with a median percentage below 36, was “prior to 2010” and the last time it was out of optimal range, with a median percentage below 38, was 2013.
Pickens BOE sets millage after Executive Session for personnel
Featured News, Featured Stories, News September 3, 2021
JASPER, Ga. – A special called meeting of the Pickens County Board of Education met this week and put the final approval on the board’s millage rate.
Upon calling the meeting to order and approving the agenda, however, the Pickens County Board of Education retreated to an executive session to discuss, as Board Chair Sue Finley read, “the appointment, employment, compensation, hiring, disciplinary action or dismissal or periodic evaluation or rating of a public officer or employee. Or to interview applicants for the position of superintendent.”
The board took no action upon exiting executive session, but instead moved on to the regular agenda.
An official motion came to approve the Board of Education’s millage rate at 14.30 mills. Board Member Aaron Holland made the motion with a second from Steve Smith.
This sets the millage rate 0.53 mills lower than last year and continuing the steady decline according to the school’s 5-year history of the tax levied.
BOE FY 22 Initial Budget
The system estimates, according to the 5-year history, $22,648,385 in total M&) taxes levied. The budget denotes $24,908,755 in local taxes.
Finley said, “I would like to thank Mr. Young and Ms. Smith for their hard work to make this happen to bring our budget to the point where we can have our millage rate at 14.30 and still have our budget in the black. Thank you very much.”
A unanimous vote for both the millage rate and the FY 22 budget saw the board passing an initial budget for the year.
That budget totals $48.7 million, estimating that the school system’s fund balance will remain at $10.5 million.
County approves Millage Rate for Property Taxes
Featured News, Featured Stories, News August 17, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – After originally approved for advertising in July and a special called meeting from the Board of Education, final approval came this month for the County’s Millage Rates.
These rates have been advertised for 14 days and were approved in Gilmer’s Board of Education before moving over to the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners for approval to then be processed by the Tax Commissioner for collection.
Gilmer’s Board of Education approved their rate at 12.624 mills.
Gilmer’s Board of Commissioners approved their rate at 6.222 mills.
Gilmer’s Board of Commissioners also approved a decrease in their Bond Millage Rate to 1 mill. Another quarter mill reduction after last year removing a quarter mill and giving indications that they would be looking to drop it again this year.
Many citizens have been waiting and calling for this reduction over the years after the Bond Millage was increase previously due to economic issues not fulfilling the bond payments.
The BOC has reduced that back down to the original 1 mill to cover bond payments in addition to SPLOST being used to pay the bond payments.
As for the main Millage Rates, increasing property values, according to the Tax Assessors office, has individual homes revalued annually. Though the Rollback Rate was approved, lowering the Millage Rate, this Rollback Rate is calculated to determine, roughly, the rate that will bring in a similar amount of money as last year.
Individual citizens should still check with the Tax Commissioner to determine what this means for their individual property taxes. With those revaluations, the Tax Assessors’ inspections have shown increasing values, meaning the decrease in the Millage Rate, however, many citizens may fluctuate on their own property taxes and the Millage Rate reduction balances against the value increases.
With final approval, the county will soon be preparing to move into September and October when they usually work toward and then hold their public hearings on individual departments for budgeting. By October’s end, Gilmer will have a solid look at what next year’s finances should look like.
Board lowers Bond Millage with final approval of rates
News August 25, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – A unanimous vote on Monday, August 24, 2020, saw the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners follow up on statements from last year where they discussed lowering the Bond Millage Rate in the county.
While they did not approve lowering the rate in 2019, many citizens have continued discussing and pushing for the reduction this year. A few have very vocally called for the reduction of the “extra half mill” that was put on the Bond Millage rate raising it from 1 to 1.5 mills. Additionally, the viral outbreak and subsequent shutdowns of counties and states cast a dark shadow on local economies and doubt for the financial future of Gilmer.
The Commissioners halted capital spending and major projects as they watched and waited to see just what kind of impact it would have, even delaying their pool project that has been underway for over a year now. The pool was closed at the beginning of May in 2019.
However, the last two months have shown quite the difference. Despite the cancellation of major events in the county and increasing numbers from the virus, recent reports show an increase in collections from tourism and SPLOST.
Whether this played a role in their decision, the commissioners did not say, but they did approve a drop in the bond millage rate by .25 mills, taking it from 1.5 to 1.25 mills.
The School-Board-approved millage rate of 13.963 was approved to be implemented by the Board of Commissioners. This is the Rollback Rate calculated for Gilmer County Schools as they have advertised over the past month since the July meeting. The Board of Education approved this rate last week during their regular August meeting.
They also moved forward with approval of the county’s M&O (Maintenance and Operations) Millage Rate of 6.783 mills. This is also a Rollback Rate calculated for the Board of Commissioners and advertised for the past month since their July Meeting.
Collins Answers Questions at Tax Reform Final Passage
State & National December 22, 2017
Collins Answers Questions at Tax Reform Final Passage
WASHINGTON—Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) joined Fox News today to address questions as the House voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s final passage.
Collins also said of today’s vote, “The House just took the final, confident step to send pro-family, pro-growth, pro-hope tax reform to President Trump’s desk. This process started in the House, and I’m excited to have voted to keep our promise to the American people—again.”
On who will see the benefit of tax reform:
“The majority of Americans are going to see money in their pockets. . . . That’s the kind of growth we’re looking for, that’s the kind of thing that, come February—when they see their paychecks—they’re going to know that what we’re talking about here actually matters to the American public.”
On Democrats’ claims that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a bad bill:
“The problem here is not the tax code. The problem here is that [Democrats] want to politicize the tax code because they believe that the government is a much better way to spend people’s money. . . . Come February, let them look some of their constituents in the eyes and say, ‘You know, I really didn’t want you to get that money back in your paycheck. We could spend it better.’ That will be an interesting argument.”
Senator David Perdue Talks Tax On CNBC
State & National October 19, 2017
Senator David Perdue Talks Tax On CNBC
“The only reason we’re doing the budget like this, 18 days after the beginning of our fiscal year, is to get tax done this year.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) spoke with Joe Kernen on CNBC’s Squawk Box about why the budget process is a sham and should be viewed as merely a way to fix our tax code this year.
A Total Sham: “Let’s be very clear. This budget is a sham. It’s a fraud that’s been perpetrated for the last 43 years since the Budget Act of 1974. The only reason we’re doing the budget like this, 18 days after the beginning of our fiscal year, is to get to a vehicle to get tax done this year.”
Budget Is Not A Law: “This is a resolution. It has nothing to do with how we’ll fund the government. Congress already passed a short-term spending deal that got us past the end of the fiscal year. Sometime between now and December 8th, six people will get in a room and decide how to spend over $1 trillion, and the rest of us will get an up or down vote on that.”
Getting To Tax: “I’m very confident we’ll get this budget done because the only reason we’re doing it this way is to get to the tax deal, which all of us are anxious to pass.”
Making America More Competitive: “Consumer confidence is at a 16-year high and over 800 regulations have already been reversed this year. Now we have the anticipation of passing this tax deal that will actually help our corporations and our workers become competitive with the rest of the world again.”
Funding The Military: “My argument is if you want to fund the military long-term, you better solve the debt crisis. To solve the debt crisis, we have to get after our budget process. If you really want to solve our funding issues, you better get the economy going, and the economy will move if we get this tax deal done. It’s just as simple as that.”
Helping American Workers: “We’ve got to lower the corporate tax rate, which is an onerous tax on American workers. It puts our workers at a disadvantage with the rest of the world. In 1986, the last time Congress took any measured change in the tax law, we had one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world. Today we have the highest in the OECD. We are also one of the last countries to have a repatriation tax. There are also some $2 trillion of U.S. profits stuck overseas. Fixing those things alone will stimulate this economy.”
Short Takes – Tax Incentives, Why?
Opinion December 19, 2017
Tax Incentives, Why?
So, Marco Rubio is the newest wannabe ‘Judas’ in the Republican stable. In the GOP Tax reform plan he demands that the tax reform plan must increase child tax credit incentives to the poor, or he won’t vote for it. This is so he can get re-elected in a Florida now filling up with refugees from hurricane wrecked Puerto Rico, not to mention Obama’s islamists, poverty fleeing Haitians and third worlders swarming across our southern borders to join in the fray.
We would expect Join McCain to do it. He would claim to see some imminent danger to the Republic if he deigned to support a Trump initiative that would allow Americans to keep more of their own earnings so, he would vote against it. But, little Marco? Naw!
Everything government does is based on a supposed “crisis of human affairs.” Who, exactly determines what that crisis is or should be? Why, politicians of course! California forest fires might fit the definition but people should have fire insurance and not build homes in foothills covered with brush that has the flashpoint of gasoline. The flooding and destruction that comes with hurricanes, unusual storms, zombie apocalypse and etc. could be a concern for government, but not the federal government. It’s not in their job description (the Constitution)! If you want to live in a flood zone, buy insurance. “Ya pays your money you takes your chances.”
What little Marco wants is that you and I, as wage earning tax payers, and we do pay our taxes in order to avoid going to jail, allow the government to take a bit more of those taxes we pay and squander it on other people, basically third worlders unqualified to be productive Americans anyway. Why are they allowed to receive incentives from us the the plight of our veterans is ignored. Why should illegals be rewarded without expending the effort required to get it?
As I understand it, Puerto Rico needs to be rebuilt. So does Haiti. Why are those people here in our country then, living nearly for free? We can’t afford ‘em anymore. Politicians are solely responsible for this near financial disaster of good intentions we are now facing yet, like lil Marco, they keep adding on “benefits” that we can no longer afford. Admittedly, right now, some Americans exult at the rising stock market earning big bucks. When the Europeans stop sending their money here to avoid their own coming EU collapse, and the cash pool available for our government to dip into ends and then we’ll have to face the consequences. It will not be happy.
I should think that welfare, including child incentive tax credits, should have strict, enforceable limits. Recipients of government welfare should be absolutely limited to three children and NO more. Besides, I cannot find one amendment in the US Constitution that permits government to dispense taxpayer money for any other purpose than those enumerated therein. I do read in the 10th Amendment, words that precisely limits what the federal government can and cannot do and that includes doing good deeds. Doing good deeds should belong to the states.
This form of thinking, spending our money outside that permitted by the constitution, is done by politicians who want to keep their jobs by showing favoritism to the abundant numbers of poor voters who will, naturally, vote to maintain free government stuff. If welfare was totally returned to the States, as the 10th amendment allows, the federal deficit and debt, will depress, along with the taxes they steal, and we will all be happier. Taxpayers in states near financial collapses, like California, Illinois and Connecticut are now experiencing, would also put an end to that foolishness. So would term limits for federal politicians. We should have the incentive to spend or save our own money not give it to government to spend foolishly. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (15Dec17)
Gainesville Company Pays Tax Reform Benefits Forward
Politics, Press Release January 31, 2018Gainesville Company Pays Tax Reform Benefits Forward
GAINESVILLE, Ga.—As President Trump delivers his first State of the Union address today, a northeast Georgia company is announcing its plan to deliver bonuses to its employees as a direct result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Mincey Marble was established in 1977 in Gainesville as a manufacturer of cast marble products for hospitality, healthcare and other markets around the country. Donna Mincey, President and CEO of Mincey Marble, says that the tax reform package signed into law last December will directly benefit her company’s bottom line, which allows her to further invest in Mincey’s more than 300 employees, many of whom are hourly workers.
“As the owner of a family business, I want to share how tax reform is benefitting Americans at every level. Companies big and small are passing along tax savings to the workers who help build our economy. I hope that the bonuses Mincey Marble is providing encourage other businesses in our great state to pay it forward, because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the kind of meaningful change that can help transform communities by bringing relief to American workers and families,” said Mincey.
“Mincey Marble has been part of our community for decades, and their decision to pass along the company’s tax benefits to our hardworking neighbors is outstanding. I supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with President Trump knowing it would lead to lower taxes and higher paychecks for northeast Georgians. We’re already seeing the economic benefits of tax reform happening at corporate and grass-roots levels, and I’m always thrilled to hear individual stories of how smaller government helps people—like the team members at Mincey Marble—invest in bigger dreams,” said Collins.
Employees at Mincey Marble will receive bonuses of up to $1,000 depending on their length of service with the company. Even employees hired this year will see a bonus, and the checks are scheduled to arrive during the week of Valentine’s Day as a sign of the company’s appreciation for its associates.
Due in large part to their confidence in the Trump Administration’s pro-business agenda, Mincey Marble’s management team also made the decision in January 2017 to expand the size and operations of a new facility that is currently under construction in Gainesville.
Other Georgia companies that have increased employee benefits in the days since President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law include Aflac, Home Depot and Yancey Bros. Caterpillar Dealer.
Senator David Perdue Talks Tax & Immigration On Kudlow Radio Show
Politics, Press Release January 29, 2018
Senator David Perdue Talks Tax & Immigration On Kudlow Radio Show
“President Trump has been instinctively in line with the American people on immigration all along”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) joined Larry Kudlow on The Larry Kudlow Show to discuss how President Trump’s agenda has been instinctively in line with the American people, particularly on tax and immigration.
Starting Point: “A year ago, Tom Cotton and I started the conversation about fixing our legal immigration system, when we introduced the RAISE Act. This would move us to a merit-based immigration system, similar to that of Canada and Australia.”
Brilliant Move: “President Trump issued a brilliant framework for an immigration middle ground. I think he has been instinctively in line with the American people on immigration all along. Two-thirds of America want a DACA solution, but only if you provide for border security with a wall, end chain migration, and end the visa lottery.”
Real Opportunity: “When will conservatives ever have this kind of opportunity to solve the causes of the immigration problems we have now, including ending chain migration? Also, if Democrats are serious about solving DACA, how can they be against this reasonable solution the President laid out?”
Americans Agree: “Chuck Schumer offered up $25 billion for a wall. That tells me that Democrats are now admitting Americans want border security. They are seeing these polls showing that up to 80% of Americans want a wall. They know we need border security. President Trump isn’t going to give in on that point.”
Providing Certainty: “The President has done the right thing and put this back in the lap of Congress, which is where it should have been. President Obama just kicked the can down the road by providing temporary status. President Trump has said he’ll offer certainty for the DACA recipients.”
Solving Underlying Problem: “We want to ensure we aren’t back here in five years with the same problem. To do that we have to secure the border with a wall, end chain migration, and eliminate the outdated visa lottery.”
Economy Responding: “The more people and American companies we see responding positively to the tax bill, the more this is a generational change that will be simulative for our economy.”
Tremendous Impact: “We’ve had eight years of the federal government with its boot on the neck of small businesses with overregulation and policies that were anti-business. When you take that off, that has a tremendous impact.”
Assuring Our Allies: “Around the world they see an America reengaging after 8 years of disengagement. In Davos, President Trump said, ‘America first doesn’t mean America alone.’ I think that is sending a strong message to our allies and others around the world.”
Senator Perdue is the only Fortune 500 CEO in Congress and is serving his first term in the United States Senate, where he represents Georgia on the Armed Services, Banking, Budget, and Agriculture Committees.
Tax Changes How About The Fair Tax?
Opinion November 14, 2017
Let me try to understand this. We are debating changes to our “Progressive” tax code, to make it easier for politicians to shake us down with us liking it, with people who can’t balance the checkbook and won’t listen to us anyway. Am I missing something?
So far, I have not yet heard the words “Fair Tax” enter this discussion. Why is that? Well, It’s all about economic control that allows politicians to pick and choose winners and losers. That power alone allows them to keep their jobs, stiff us, and make us play their game. I’m tired of it.
When corrupt politicians control our lives and we don’t recognize what it is doing to us, we allow their actions to pass on without complaint hoping apparently, that somebody else will do something. Americans just want to be left alone to provide for their families and their retirements, and it’s always the damn politicians who stand in our way. Less government means more freedom and I think the crippling effect of government deciding who pays how much, is unconstitutional anyway. A Fair Tax would solve that.
Congressional Republicans are ineffective at governing. Before, a few Congresses had over seventy GOP co-sponsors for the “FairTax”. Today, it’s half that. The reason was that it was once safe for them to say; “Yes, we support the Fair Tax” but, they never had an inkling they would actually have a chance to vote for it. They don’t want that. Now they just ignore it and hope it goes away.
When the Republicans became the majority and changing the tax code became a serious issue, they could still talk around it. With Trump’s election, Republicans went into a panic mode because they can’t or don’t want to explain the FairTax, let alone implement it.
I have talked with congressional campaigners in past elections and realized most are clueless about how the real tax system works or how the Fair Tax could improve economics for all.
This might help explain Obama’s twenty trillion dollar national debt he saddled us with leaving Donald Trump to take the blame when it all collapses, as it will, shortly.
The most important reason for their impotence is that under the Fair Tax politicians lose control over us. ‘Nuf said?” They would lose their power to reward and punish Americans using the current tax code and its enforcement arm, the IRS Gestapo, as a weapon. With the Fair Tax, loopholes would be closed and there would be no reason for the corruption lobbying encourages. Lobbyists bring money, and favors to our public servants ensuring the continuation of government corruption, not because money corrupts but because politicians are corruptible. One only need look at the Clinton Foundation and the Podesta Group to see real crime rings that can run circles around the Mafia. The changes wrought could be incalculable. Patronage would be threatened, tax lawyers and tax preparers would go belly up, and, lacking a “raison d’faire,” corrupt politicians would go home and try to exist off their congressional retirements. Not too shabby. With the Fair Tax we could also demand, because we desperately need it, term limits at all levels of government, not just the President.
But, that ain’t gonna happen. You know it and I know it because we simply do not have the power to lift the yoke of oppression off our shoulders or stop the lash on our backs and, be it a Democrat, a Republican or far left Socialists like uncle Bernie and Aunt Warren, our public servants in Washington won’t allow that. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (12Nov17)
Short Takes – Lessons That Should Be Learned
Opinion November 13, 2017
Lessons That Should Be Learned
Apart from the fact that the Democrat Party is in a shambles, and they’ll never admit it, Democrats PAC’s are not necessarily so and are now going all out in funding state and local races, an area dominated by Republicans in recent years, and starting to win some. That is bad for Americanism and the Republican party and good for Socialism.
One lesson we should take away from the Virginia governor’s race is that the Democrats will apply lessons learned to all upcoming state races, while the GOP reads polls. It is clear that the Democrat PAC’s have gone after and energized their base. The scale of their effort even reached into many less reported, smaller state and local races in Red States and are bearing fruit. They are organized and the GOP still haven’t passed a meaningful bill (health care or Tax reform). I’m afraid the Establishment Republicans will once again fumble away the game.
The Republicans sit on their hands and worry only about how to keep “moderates” in office and keep out conservatives. Republicans ignore at their peril, the ferocity of the coming Democrat campaigns for Red State Governorships, Senatorial and Congressional races as well as Secretaries of State and Attorney General’s positions. It is these smaller races where the strength of a party lies for fending off lawsuits against conservative state initiatives and for holding power when redistricting congressional districts comes up every ten years.
Democrat PAC’s bombard my email ten to fifteen times every day pleading for donations, even as low as a $1.00, to combat Republicans who are destroying Obama’s legacy, shredding the Constitution and with other outlandish claims that Trumps impeachment is on hand if they only had only a few dollars more. These are followed up with sad pleas that they missed their goal because I didn’t contribute and yet, I read where the Democrats are gathering donations at a rate that far exceeds the GOP’s efforts.
I can understand that. I no longer donate to the GOP because they have become a money grubbing organization, not to promote the conservative Republican agenda, that they despise by the way, but to fund the elections of moderate candidates willing to become swamp creatures, or to fund Democrats if a Republican candidate doesn’t signal he/she is one of them.
I don’t know about Ed Gillespie except that he falls into the “Moderate Republican” category, gave lip service to Trump but didn’t or wouldn’t embrace Trump’s immigration policy, military buildup policy, and healthcare policy, tax-reform or job creation. Trumps record of success on all of those, except replacing Obamacare, are masterstrokes of managerial efficiency. Reducing the “deep state” is going on apace. The Republicans will be facing a catharsis if they deliver to us any more such losses.
The moderate Republicans will always fail because they don’t realize that Donald Trump is a successful business manager, a promoter of what’s great about America and America’s workers, and not simply an ineffective drone of a president that elite politicians can manipulate to affect domestic and foreign policy to satisfy their corrupt ends.
Trump will never be a tchotchke. Daily he sets the news agenda for the media. and has them chasing rainbows, creating fake stories just to fill space and directing issues where he wants them. In Virginia’s governor race, with Trump away, the GOP did none of these. The GOP is leaderless, adrift on a sea of inaction. Perhaps they should join Trumps party!
Remember, freedom is the goal, the constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (10Nov17)
Senator David Perdue Refutes Misinformation On Tax
State & National November 10, 2017
Senator David Perdue Refutes Misinformation On Tax
“No excuse for this nonsense. I think it’s our role, on both sides, to call out these untruths.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) spoke on the Senate floor to set the record straight on Democrat’s false assumptions on tax, which have been proven wrong.
Highlights
Citing Retracted Studies: “On Monday, The Tax Policy Center released a study saying that the House plan to change the tax code would raise taxes on 25% of American families. The study didn’t even survive a full day. It was retracted later that afternoon. It’s not even publicly available online to review. But do you know what is still public? The Democrat statements that came out of that report, false statements highlighting this study as reality.”
Perpetuating Falsehoods: “The website Vox posted a story about the Tax Policy Center study titled, ‘The Numbers Are In And The House Republican Tax Bill Raises Taxes On Nearly One-Third of Americans.’ Sure, they say they’ll update the story once new numbers are available. In the meantime, this headline and story are still in existence as if they were true. Why wouldn’t they take down the story? Why wouldn’t they change the headline?”
Failing Fact Checks: “Multiple members of the Minority Party have said the tax framework supported by President Trump would raise taxes on families earning less than $86,000 per year. This talking point is so wrong that even The Washington Post came out and said so. They gave this claim four Pinocchios. That’s the worst rating you can get on their fact check.”
Putting On A Show: “The Minority Party is doing all it can to try and stop us from getting this done this year because it makes good politics somehow. That’s the only explanation I see. It just doesn’t make any sense. Why would someone oppose giving the middle class a tax break? Why would someone oppose making America competitive again? Why would someone oppose bringing billions of dollars of U.S. profits back into the United States so they can be reinvested in the economy and create jobs?”
Ignoring National Interest: “If Democrats were acting in our national interest, we’d be hearing about the studies showing that, on average, Americans are projected to get a pay increase between $4,000-$9,000 under this plan. We’d be hearing about how families making less than $86,000 per year are actually getting a tax cut. Again, that’s a point even The Washington Post acknowledged. We’d be hearing about how lowering the corporate tax rate and ending the tax on repatriated earnings will make us more competitive with the rest of the world. We’d be hearing about the economic growth that could result from these changes.”
Changing Their Tune: “There are members of the Minority Party who supported these changes to the tax code right up to the point President Trump took office. That’s no excuse for this nonsense. I think it’s our role, on both sides, to call out these untruths. It’s also our responsibility to stop this nonsense.”
Senator Steve Gooch 3/31/16
Opinion March 31, 2016
State Senator Steve Gooch of District 51 talks legislation for Georgia and Voting Questions.