Tax-Hike Survival
2009-09-30 - by
Earlier this week I wrote that Governor Perdue should consider championing tax reform.
To her advisers, that lifeline probably looks more like an anchor.
But history suggests otherwise. Mike Easley raised taxes – and survived. At least, survived raising taxes.
Jim Hunt raised the gas tax in 1981. Jesse Helms & Co. jumped all over it, sure it was the issue that would sink Hunt in 1984.
It wasn’t. Hunt sank, but that was because of the race issue and Ronald Reagan.
In retrospect, I believe we could have used the gas tax to our advantage. It gave the lie to Helms’ claim that Hunt was a flip-flopper who did only what was popular.
Perdue is at a point in her term where she needs an issue that gives her the aura of a courageous, visionary leader. One who is willing to do the right thing, even if it’s unpopular.
Posted in Issues, North Carolina - Democrats
Tax-Hike Survival
2009-09-30/
Earlier this week I wrote that Governor Perdue should consider championing tax reform.
To her advisers, that lifeline probably looks more like an anchor.
But history suggests otherwise. Mike Easley raised taxes – and survived. At least, survived raising taxes.
Jim Hunt raised the gas tax in 1981. Jesse Helms & Co. jumped all over it, sure it was the issue that would sink Hunt in 1984.
It wasn’t. Hunt sank, but that was because of the race issue and Ronald Reagan.
In retrospect, I believe we could have used the gas tax to our advantage. It gave the lie to Helms’ claim that Hunt was a flip-flopper who did only what was popular.
Perdue is at a point in her term where she needs an issue that gives her the aura of a courageous, visionary leader. One who is willing to do the right thing, even if it’s unpopular.
Posted in Issues, North Carolina - Democrats