Burnt Orange Report
News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas
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Burnt Orange ReportNews, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas |
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August 19, 2003Worse than AlabamaBy Jim DallasThis is Burnt Orange Report, not Crimson Tide Report. Yet, we can't seem to get over what's going on down in Alabama. Gov. Riley, a Republican, is calling Alabama's highly regressive tax system "immoral" and, with a firm footing on Christian values like "not ripping poor people off", has called for a big tax hike on the rich to keep state services going. But Riley has also built his case on a desire to see Alabama become a truly great state, not merely competing for the onerous title of "worst state in the country." Guess which state is one of Alabama's main competitors for that dubious distinction? That's right, Texas. While Riley throws fire and brimstone at Alabama's tax code, it's worth keeping in mind that things are no better here. The bottom 20 percent in Alabama pay 10.6% of their incomes in state taxes each year; but in Texas, our lowest quintile pays even more - 11.4%. The average Texan pays three times as much in property taxes and about 20% more in sales taxes as the average taxpayer in Alabama. Texas spends less money per capita than Alabama on education, health care, welfare, highways, and environmental protection. But Texas does spend more than twice as much on corrections. In short, all that extra money poor folks pay in taxes in Texas is mostly used for locking other poor folks away in prison. The right-wing is hoping that Riley fails, because they know what this is really about:
We need to rally behind Gov. Riley because a victory in Alabama could and should energize progressives and pragmatists, both Democrats and Republicans, to do what is right for Alabama, and eventually here at home in Texas. Accordingly, I move that the Burnt Orange Report make a strong endorsement of a "yes" vote on Sept. 9, for any folks from Alabama who might just be surfing around here. I also must enthusiastically hope that we lefties and centrists join the battle for the soul of Texas, and soon. The next legislature needs to act on tax reform, a major issue that was foolishly ignored in the last election. There is a great potential to unite minorities, working-class whites, and people of faith (both conservative and liberal) on this pressing issue. Let's get to work! Posted by Jim Dallas at August 19, 2003 07:50 PM | TrackBack
Comments
Interesting that conservatives are using broken ebonics in ads targeting Blacks, via Free Dartmouth: Riley's opponents also have targeted black voters, airing a radio ad on stations with mostly black audiences featuring a man with poor diction warning, "Our property taxes could go up as much as fo' hundred percent," and blaming "Montgomery insiders who have been ignorin' us for years Posted by: ByronUT at August 19, 2003 10:53 PMRelated.... there was a column in today's DMN about the similarities between white evangelical Christians and Black evangelical Christians. And that they believe much of the same, except one is overwhelmingly Republican and the other overwhelmingly Dem. Interesting. Still, they may be similar in many respects, but I doubt that much will change as White Evangelicals tend to focus on social issues at the voting booth whereas Black evangelicals focus more on economics and social justice when they vote. Read the column here. Posted by: ByronUT at August 19, 2003 10:56 PMIn short, all that extra money poor folks pay in taxes in Texas is mostly used for locking other poor folks away in prison. Thereby protecting poor folks in Texas from the criminals who prey primarily upon them. Posted by: Mark Harden at August 20, 2003 07:28 AMLast election, Massachusetts came pretty close to abolishing its income tax by referendum. The political climate is changing, but I can't see how given such a result even in Massafuckingchusetts, there's much hope for constructive tax reform nationwide. I hope I'm wrong, though. Posted by: phil at August 20, 2003 09:16 AMgiven such a result even in Massafuckingchusetts, there's much hope for constructive tax reform nationwide. I hope I'm wrong, though. Or, perhaps the Mass initiative is "constructive tax reform" ;-) Phil -- Cloud and the usual Libertarian suspects basically told every lie possible to the Massachusetts public. They still lost. And the "Taxachusetts" joke is running thin. :-p Posted by: Jim D at August 22, 2003 04:42 PM
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