Let us begin by saying we’re not crazy about hiking the state’s sales tax by a penny per dollar for the next three years.
But we’re a lot less crazy about the alternative, so we’re urging you to vote yes.
The state of Arizona is facing its most serious economic crisis in modern history. The Republicans running our state have already stripped health-care coverage from more than 300,000 people below the federal poverty line. They have made Arizona the only state without a KidsCare program. They’ve dumped all-day kindergarten and cut away at our schools. They slashed funding for our universities, forcing tuition increases on college students and their parents. They’ve eliminated Arizona’s GED program. They cut programs for the disabled and the mentally ill. They’ve taken away hospice care from people who are dying. They have swiped so much money from state parks that several will have to close. They have taken money from funds meant to help victims of crimes. They have sold off the state’s capitol building.
And these are just the highlights; lawmakers are engaged in the deepest cuts to state government that we have ever seen.
But those cuts are going to get even deeper if the state does not do something to bring in more money.
We wish lawmakers had the vision to rework our entire tax system to reflect our 21st-century economy, but the clowns now running our state have no imagination—beyond suggesting tax cuts.
And so there’s only one choice before us: Increasing the sales tax to bring in an estimated $867 million in the next fiscal year by voting yes on Proposition 100.
There are those who say it doesn’t do enough to solve the problem. Sorry, but that’s a foolish line of reasoning, suggesting that a better alternative is to do nothing while the state crashes and burns.
If the sales tax does not pass, lawmakers won’t look for a more equitable tax. Instead, they’ll take it as a mandate that voters want more cuts—and they will proceed accordingly.
We already know what they will cut if the sales tax does not pass. They will cut another $428 million from education. They will cut $107 million from our universities. They will cut about $150 million from health-care funding. They will cut $100 million from the criminal-justice system. And the list goes on.
Those cuts will mean the state will lose another 13,000 jobs, according to economists at the UA Eller College of Management. On top of that, we’ll lose more than $442 million in federal matching funds that would bring new dollars into our economy.
That’s right: We’ll kiss goodbye $442 million—money that would boost our economy. How dumb is that?
Take a look at who backs this tax. Your firefighters are behind it. Your universities are behind it. Your teachers are behind it. Your chambers of commerce are behind it. Your hospitals are behind it. Your business leaders are behind it. Your churches are behind it. Even Gov. Jan Brewer, who brags that she has never before supported a tax increase, is behind it.
And who is against it? Mostly just politicians who are lying when they say the state just needs to tighten its belt a little bit more.
We can think of plenty of better ways to fund state government. We’d rather see the tax base broadened a bit. We’d rather see a slight increase in income taxes on Arizona’s highest earners, who got a big tax break just three years ago. We’d rather get lawmakers who recognize that an economy responds to something besides tax cuts.
But we don’t have those choices. Instead, we have lawmakers who can’t wait to cut even more as soon as you give them an excuse. They’re the ones who are telling you to vote against the sales tax so they can get on with the slicing and dicing of everything that Arizona taxpayers have built over the last 100 years.
If the sales tax fails, the people who want to destroy our state win.
Save the state of Arizona. Vote yes on May 18.
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2010.
If the sales tax increase passes, it will only embolden the legislature to stay on the same misguided path. The increase will most likely become permanent, and the legislature will continue to cut corporate taxes and reduce what little progressivity there is in the AZ tax structure. The state, its voters, and the legislature need a learning experience and the defeat of Prop 100 will provide that. Then maybe we can start to rebuild on a rational basis. I am reluctantly going to vote no.
That argument makes no sense, Scarpia. How is voting no going to magically offer anti-tax legislators a “learning experience” and make them act rationally?
Jimmy Boegle,
Yours is the weak argument. You are wrong. Profoundly.
They are not “anti-tax legislators”, they are fascists. Therefore, their behaviour is perfectly rational.
Fascists control both houses of our legislature. Simply because prop 100 is the only “choice” they are allowing us, does that mean it is in our best interests? Or is it, as Scarpia asserts, complicity with them in furthering their agenda by giving them cover for the social damage created, by delaying it with this regressive temporary revenue?
During this legislative session we have seen them enact laws they know to be unconstitutional, and fully expect to be overturned; simply to allow maneuver room for, again, furthering their agenda.
So the question becomes this: What do you believe they are capable of doing?
At what point, or better, in what arena, will they enact a law that hits so close to home for you personally that you become willing to take a stand on principles, regardless of pain, or cost incurred?
Berate me as an alarmist, or stupid, or paranoid; do it now while you still have the platform.
Think it can’t happen in this country? You are watching it happen now.
Robert Alexander Dumas
I am voting in favor of Prop 100. Fact is, the education system does need it and in a bad way. At least Gov. Brewer offered a solution. Former Gov. Napolitano left the state in a financial mess, those of you who are angry look to her and the state legislators who approved spending beyond our means. Use your vote in upcoming elections to correct the problems of the fiscally irresponsible legislators. Send your message then, hold them accountable. Right now, the teachers/schools need funding. Robert Walker
Wow. A Penny on the dollar? Whoop-de-doo. Do it.
Although I have my concerns too, I am voting for it and I’m telling everyone I know tovote for it. The fact is, it won’t become permanent unless it goes back the voters. Or if 2/3 of the legislature vote it into law. (Whichwould never happen in a million years!) It goes into the constitution as a 3 year tax. Again, it truly is temporary unless one of the two above actions occur.
This isn’t the solution, it’s breathing room for education/health/public safety.
The real solution is to elect moderates into office in November (or in the August primary). We are governed by anarchists in the legislature that is pressuring the smaller group of moderate Republicans to be with their caucus–or they become irrelevent in Phx. Happened to Pete Hershberger in LD 26.
To those voting “NO” on this issue: PLEASE! READ the article posted here. This tax is currently the only solution-oriented option we have to help save public education in this state. Save your arguments about “sending a message” to the legislature when it’s time to vote for the candidates. This vote is about our children. VOTE YES on Prop. 100.
You know, Whoop-de-do, that’s just what they wanted to say.
Actually, this tax alone will cost an average family $400 per year. See, Whoop, the pennies add up to ONE BILLION dollars.
They’ve given a billion dollars worth of tax breaks to their big business buddies (and contributors) and now they have to pass that tax on to us. They appreciate your help, sucker.
This increase will put the sales tax over 10% in many Arizona communities. Got that? One dollar in tax for every $10 you spend.
So, if you want to buy a new car, the sales tax will be $3,000.
Can you imagine what that does to car sales and jobs, Whoop?
Ah, but the best idea our esteemed legislators have also come up with is the old “cut taxes to businesses to entice them to come to Arizona.” I’ve lived in Arizona for 46 years and have watched this dance before. I’ve seen businesses come, enjoy the tax break, and when they discover that Arizona doesn’t give a damn about education, can’t afford the law enforcement and fire fighters to protect them, and is spending what little money it has on everything but where it should, they pick up their families and go.
That leaves people without the jobs that were touted as being one of the reasons for cutting business taxes in the first place (“bringing business to Arizona creates jobs” – same ploy as when we were busy building houses that now remain empty – “if you build them they will come”). They also go.
We’re living on a fixed income, but I’m tired of the old “cut taxes, reduce spending” thinking. Can’t anyone see that there is nothing left to cut? Vote yes on Prop 100 and stop being penny-wise and pound foolish.
Send me your address and I will send you a dime, but I WILL NOT give my vote to tax me any further. These legislators see the people’s disgust with taxes throughout the USA and locally and they just don’t learn, our managers need to learn how to manage finances, quit the waste by programs in progress that will not give a return, in that sense they will have a wallet increase. I’m for cutting taxes, reducing government, reduce spending, and a balanced budget, I practice the last 2, surely legislators can do the same.
I’ll support the sales tax increase AFTER the government employee unions agree to at least a ten percent cut in their salaries and benefits. This tax is only going to maintain the largesse government employees receive to the punishment of the rest of us.
I agree that this tax may be all that stands between Arizona and catastrophe. Well, catastrophe at another level of magnitude. But our legislature has seized funds voters required be used for other purposes already. What’s to keep them from seizing this sales tax to support further corporate welfare and more tax breaks to the super rich? The Arizona House just passed a bill that will allow the Arizona Secretary of State to deny presidential candidates a position on our ballot at the Secretary of State’s discretion (or partisan whim). Our Governor just signed into law a bill that allows law enforcement to stop anyone at any time and demand proof of US citizenship. Just like Nazi Germany, show your papers on demand. So how can we trust these radical anarchists with more income tax dollars? And what if this legislature isn’t thrown out for gross incompetence in November? What if there are enough fools here to send them back? I’ll probably still vote to support education–expecting it to be more protest vote than practical solution–but descending on Phoenix with ample tar and feathers might be more appropriate.
It is obvious why the spending lobbies are working so hard to win on Prop 100. If they win, they will get to spend an extra one billion dollars a year of YOUR money. Your state sales taxes will go up by 18 percent. For the average family, that would mean paying an extra $400 a year for the next three years. If you are not clear on the 18 percent increase, read this blog post:
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/0223…
Prop 100 is also fraudulent: what is on the ballot is not what is actually going to happen. If you are not clear on that point, read this blog post:
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/0416…
We must work hard to counter the sky-is-falling rhetoric from the pro-100 side. For example, it is crucial to understand that Arizona’s K-12 system has plenty of money. The problem with our schools is that the available money is not getting into our classrooms:
http://www.americansforprosperity.org/0407…
Corporations and other special interests have received numerous tax breaks over the years amounting to $11 billion per year (see: http://www.azleg.gov/jlbc/09taxbook/09taxb… pages 14-19).
Vote NO on Prop 100.
I don’t understand any one that would object to one lone cent on a dollar. This would amount to pocket change. Five pennies on a five dollar purchase that’s silly. Vote for the bill.
Barb
Tom: You shouldn’t toss around terms like “fraudulent” at the same time that you’re suggesting that the average family will be paying an extra $400 a year if Prop 100 passes. To pay that much would require spending $40,000 a year on items subject to the sales tax, after housing, utilities, sales taxes, etc. I suppose big shots who work at economic think tanks might be spending that much, but I find it highly unlikely that the average household spends anywhere near that much. If they did, we wouldn’t need the extra revenue to begin with. The sales tax would be booming. You undermine your argument when you lie like that.
Sales tax incrases mess with everybody. Property tax increases and state income tax increases mess more with the people higher up on the socioeconomic scale.
What is right? I would posit that when we tax more on everybody, they get hurt more and can afford less. That means they may require more government services, which costs everybody. That potentially makes for a vicious cycle over time, with sales tax increases causing more people to fall behind on being fully self-sufficient and requiring more government services. (My bias is that I am pro-self-sufficiency.) I perceive this cycle is already seen in other higher-taxing states.
Looking at the larger philosophical picture, what is your rebuttal?
I’m so on the fence about Prop 100. I’ve read comments, articles, listened to viewpoints from editorials, bloggers etc. I wish I was as sure as some of you, but I’m just not. On one hand, I don’t want to enable the existing lawmakers to collect more sales tax when I hold them responsible for our current budget crises. They’ve given me no reason whatsoever to believe they’ll be able to manage new tax dollars. On the other hand, should this Prop be voted down, how will we Arizonians be punished for our stance against it? We’ve heard about deeper cuts in social programs and education. I think it’s pretty tacky of lawmakers to attempt to scare voters into Prop 100.
A fine mess we have here. How pathetic is it when our state can’t even keep rest stops open? Thanks to the powers that be for forcing voters to make these most difficult decisions. Their incompetency is just stunning, and we have to pay the price. I’ll file this away when it’s time to vote the lot of them out of office.
In the meantime, I’ll continue to keep my eyes and ears open in hopes of making a meaningful vote on this issue.
SOME PEOPLE DO NOT CARE.. I WOULD SAY 5 CENTS IF NO ONE WOULD STEAL IT. JAMES REDDOG DRIVER USMC RETIRED.USA ALL THE WAY..BOYS!!/LADIES.
Thank you for writing this. For the first time in my life I am completely scared for the future of our schools, our state, and even our country. This great nation was founded on the ideals of equality, and that includes education. We need to continue our tradition of strong public schools. Anyone can open a charter and they are not all created equal. Please support our schools as well as the other public services that will benefit from Prop 100. Our future is REALLY at stake!
Naomi Varga
First Grade Teacher, TUSD
A good solution would be to pass an increased PROPERTY TAX and get some money from the landowners of the state who pay some of the lowest property taxes in the country.
A not good solution is to VOTE YES ON 100. Sales taxes are regressive and affect the poor and middle class disproportionately, but we need this revenue, and if the boneheads in the legislature leave this as our only choice, we have to take it.
An AWFUL solution have this Prop not pass. Then we’re completely f***ed. The legislature is a bunch of ideologues who WANT to destroy government and social services. There is no lesson an ideologue can learn, because an ideologue already knows everything they “need” to know.
VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!! VOTE YES ON 100!!!
And yet I still see several school buses driving by my house every morning, and my street just loops right back to almost the same place you enter. It’s a waste of money just to save kids walking 10 minutes. If they haven’t even gotten to such obvious spending cuts as this, they’re not serious about controlling expenses. I won’t give them another cent until they’ve proven to be smart with the money they already have.
At a meeting called on Monday of this week by the principal of my kids’ elementary school, the following scenario was laid out. The school (K-6th) currently has 528 students and 21 teachers. That’s ~25 kids per class/per teacher. If Prop 100 is defeated, the school district (Amphi) superintendent has advised us that our school would lose 7 teachers. That’s 14 teachers for the same number of students – 528. Do the math. Absent the additional funding Prop 100 would yield, this school’s student-to-teacher ratio would rise to roughly 38 per class/per teacher. Is that what you want?
I don’t. I’m voting YES on PROP 100 and I encourage every last voter in the state to vote yes too. I don’t even know if the fire marshal would allow that many kids in a classroom. Imagine the havoc in an emergency. Regressive or not, the revenue generated by the one-cent-on-the-dollar tax increase is an investment in our future. If that future is something we want to look forward to with some optimism, we have to give our schools the money they need to educate the next generation of Arizonans. The next generation of Americans.
Join me in voting YES on Prop 100.
I’m writing in regard to the Prop 100 article. I am really torn on this vote. I have voted for higher taxes in the past, only to see the money misused or in effect, lost, because AZ decided then to lower taxes for the rich and/or “help” corporations out – supposedly to gain jobs.
I’ve read that the Ledge is planning on passing another tax cut (about 28%) for corporations after raising this sales tax which will affect the poor and middle class disproportionally. I am not sure it’s true, but after following AZ politics for over a decade, it would not surprise me in the least. Even if it is not *yet* true, what makes The Weekly think this won’t happen?
The article mentions all the “good” people backing Prop 100, but why are the Chambers of Commerce and business leaders there? The Chambers of Commerce and business leaders in AZ aren’t exactly known for being generous with, or having the best intentions for, those of us at the bottom.
As someone living well below the poverty level on Disability payments of around $8,000 a year, and depending on AHCCCS, I’ve already seen services cut. I am sick with worry over what will happen when more services are cut. Oh yes, they’ll be cut. Even if this sales tax passes, services will be cut, just as they have been when AZ was doing well.
For eons it has been the modus operandi of those in the Ledge to cut programs and services while funneling money to their rich cronies under the guise of “privatizing” things. They are simply “drowning government in a bathtub” as conservative / libertarian propaganda-meister Grover Norquist is famous for saying. Only, they seem to have absolutely no problem drowning many of their constituents along with government, all the while enriching themselves.
Why has The Weekly noticed this? If you have, why not constantly push for action and reform? Why not push for a repeal of the tax breaks for the rich that passed three years ago? Why not insist on broadening the tax base? Why not do these things INSTEAD of supporting this sales tax that many people truly cannot afford?
I would like to see all state employees take a 10 to 20 percent pay cut first or have a reduction in some of their benefits. Get rid of their pension plan! Stop begging for more tax dollar! This state government need to be responsible. We should have a prop to vote for which group of government sector to cut first. Teachers and professors, fire fighters, policemen shouldn’t be use as hostages!
ftk: Just checking: You do realize when you talk about cutting the pay of state employees and dumping their pension plan, you’re talking about the teachers and professors that you don’t want to see used as hostages?
I work in the behaviorial health services field in Arizona. I can tell you for a fact, that if Prop 100 does not pass, thousands of SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL people will no longer have their medications paid for. It will also further eliminate substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. People against Prop 100 talk about teaching “them” a lesson. If these cuts happen, we will ALL be taught a lesson.
We may think that by voting no on Prop 100, we will teach those in power a lesson, but if those in power will cut the most needy of us all, then the most needy are the ones who feel the “lesson”, and that will affect us all with more crime, and overburdened hospitals, police, fire safety and classrooms.
Ok I’m feed up with more tax. This legislation is open ended. If it passes I myself will track the money. It better go for education. Teacher’s in the classroom with students. Not care for the athletic feilds outside or a boost of cash for the all above a TEACHER.