Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Perdue: Pass emergency 1-cent sales tax

Gov. Beverly Perdue told legislative leaders today she wants a 1-cent sales tax increase and a total tax hike package of $1.6 billion to balance the budget.

Perdue, a Democrat, met with lawmakers at the Executive Mansion and gave them a list of tax and other revenue options that she would like to see passed. It was an effort to help break the impasse between Democratic Senate and House leaders over what taxes to increase and how much.

Highlights of Perdue's wish list include: an "emergency" 1-cent increase in the sales tax that would expire in October 2010, an emergency income tax surcharge on single taxpayers who earn more than $500,000 and married couples filing jointly making more than $1 million.

Perdue wants a 50-cent-per-pack increase in cigarette taxes, down from the $1-per-pack she requested in March, plus 2-cents-per-can more on beer and a 2 percent increase on alcohol.

The list included several tax increases that would take effect in the fall of next year, including taxes on some services (warranties, installations, repairs) and a tax increase on "luxury services" such as cosmetic surgery, limousines and chartered flights.

Click here to read Perdue's letter to lawmakers and wish list.

- Mark Johnson

12 comments:

VanderQ said...

Bev is evidently on some drugs. I bet her next proposal is that Lithium or some other psychotropic drug be placed in our water system to make us more "compliant"! I better stock up on bottled water!

Joat said...

Once again we see the standard 'big government' approach to budgeting:

Spend what you want and then stick it to the private citizens and corporations.

And no, I'm not affected by the income tax hike or the cigarette hike, but how much longer before it gets down to my vices and income level?

Anonymous said...

IMPEACH BEV PERDUE!!!

Anonymous said...

is Bev on drugs -- in a time when people are struggling to make ends meet she wants to raise taxes. Incredible when you and I have a shortfall we have to cut back. But when the government does they raise taxes! Get rid of Bev!

Unknown said...

Here's a better idea - let's do an emergency impeachment of the governor... and all other lawmakers who want to tax tax tax to keep up their habit of spend, spend spend, spend.

Anonymous said...

In all seriousness, does North Carolina have a recall procedure for Governor like California? I'd love to get that started, if so. (Though, unlike California, I hope we choose a replacement who is a little better than Ahhhnuld.)

barkomomma said...

No, there is no recall procedure in NC. The best we could hope for is to get a bill introduced to create one, but it would

1) require a representative with "guts" to submit it

2) would probably come too late or not be "retro-active" for the current sitting goober-nor.

Anonymous said...

You can't impeach a governor just because you disagree with their tax policy...

Anonymous said...

Piss on Perdue!

Anonymous said...

Fellow Carolinians, please take a step back, deep breath, and relax for one minute. Better? Okay, now reach into your wallet and pay whatever tax we are saddled with, because legally there is "squat" we can do about it. She can propose anything she wants, and with Democratic leadership in control, alot of her demands will be met. These taxes can be repealed at a later date by a different set of Representatives, but are they ever? Once money is coming in, it always will. Sorry, but true.

Mary said...

I don't mind the taxes except for the sales tax increase.

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