April 25, 2006

More No New Taxes

It seems that DC candidate for mayor, Adrian Fenty, has been stricken ill by "no new tax pledge fever":
At a candidates forum sponsored by some of the District's premier business organizations, Fenty was the only one of five major candidates to answer yes when asked whether he would commit to levying no additional taxes on business.
As we've noted before on this blog, no new tax pledges are irresponsible and potentially damaging.

Fenty's no new tax pledge is even that much more reckless because he's been pushing for a large school modernization bill:
Ed Lazere, executive director of the liberal D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute, questioned Fenty's sudden zeal for restraining taxes. He noted that a massive school modernization bill championed by Fenty and recently approved by the council requires that certain taxes on commercial real estate transactions go up automatically if sufficient funding cannot be found in the current budget.

Lazere said the city has approved more than $300 million in tax cuts over the past few years, adding, "I don't think anyone should cut off the option of tax increases to address huge, pressing problems like school modernization and affordable housing."
No new tax pledges are nothing more than political pandering. It's not only important to spend responsibly, it's also just as important to raise money responsibly. By taking this pledge, Fenty is making an irresponsible decision. A responsible civic leader doesn't take anything off the table - especially something as vital to public policy as taxation.

1 Comments:

At 10:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's just one reason not to vote for Fenty. For me it comes down to crime. I just don't think Fenty will be tough enough.

Crime, crime, crime. That is the issue that will decide the election for DC’s mayor. Residents of the District from all eight wards are looking for someone who will be tough on crime and take concretes steps to protect Washingtonians. It is clear that leader is Linda Cropp. She has outlined a clear and feasible plan that will decrease crime and restore order on our streets. Linda Cropp has run her campaign like a tested and proven leader, while her opponent has tried to pull the wool over the eyes of voters with a flimsy public relations campaign. But when you peel back Fenty’s onion, there is nothing there. Certainly no real plan to get at the heart of the crime emergency and bring about safety and security. Linda Cropp is the person to vote for on Tuesday, September 12.

 

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