AC-T Title: Take a good look at which party in Raleigh is grabbing for your wallet

I saw a bumper sticker recently on the UNC-A campus that implied that there was really no difference between Republicans and Democrats; that we should run all the rascals out of office.

While the latter idea has appeal, this was the week when we really saw the difference between the Republicans and Democrats who represent us in Raleigh. This was the week when the NC House of Representatives voted along party lines on bill that will increase several taxes and leave two “temporary” tax increases in place for another two years. Can you guess how each party voted?

No Republican voted for the tax increases. No Democrat voted against them. That’s right. In this case, all Republican Representatives realized that there just isn’t any excuse for raising taxes, at least to this extent. All Democrats felt that taking more of our money was the right thing to do.

This vote illustrates the profound difference between Republicans and Democrats, and I am very proud of my Republican friends in both chambers of the General Assembly for standing against the latest round of the Democrat’s tax increases. (Senate Republicans made a similar stand earlier in the year by staying unified against similar tax increases.)

Republican House members have offered 50-odd amendments to the budget to reduce spending, so taxes would not have to be raised, or at least, not so much. The Democrat leaders and the Democrat representatives have rejected all but one.

These past few years, when revenues are weak, the taxpayers of North Carolina were obligated to make up the difference by paying increased taxes. Now that revenues have improved so much that the intake of our tax dollars is greater than had been planned, we are obligated to “invest” more of our hard-earned money in welfare programs. It appears that whatever the financial situation in North Carolina, the Democrat legislators who still control our fate in Raleigh want higher taxes.

As John Hood pointed out on this past Thursday, this kind of logic makes sense to those who believe that government is too small and does too little. Personally, along with many Ashevillians, I believe we have way too much government in Raleigh, and those folks have way too much time on their hands!

By the way, Democrats also want to try to mislead you by calling their tax increases a “revenue package.” You may also hear the terms “revenue bill” or “tax package” used interchangeably. If you hear any of these terms, grab your wallet and run. These are tax increases no matter what they want to call them. There is simply no other way to spin it.

So what should your reaction to all this be? Should you care if you will now pay more taxes on your cigarettes, telephone service, satellite television, candy, and liquor? Should you care if now you will pay taxes also on service contracts and warranties, which could open the door in the future for taxing all services?

If you care, and if you are annoyed with the growth of Government in Raleigh, you should help elect fiscal conservatives to the House and Senate of North Carolina. And don’t be fooled by election talk – this week shows how united Republicans are in trying to put the brakes on runaway sending in Raleigh and how united Democrats are in trying to take your last dollar so they can spend it!

This was the week that really showed the giant difference between Republicans and Democrats – don’t forget this difference when you vote in 2006.

George E. Keller, Chairman, Buncombe County Republican Party