CA GOP opportunity: Cut the state income tax 1 percentage point
May 19, 2013
By John Seiler
California Republicans never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. But listen up, because here’s one you shouldn’t miss: Advance and initiative to cut the state income tax by 1 percentage point.
Right now, Californians and other Americans are enraged at the IRS assault on the Tea Party and other conservatives and libertarians. Even liberals are up in arms. Taxes and the Taxman are unpopular.
So take advantage of it.
The CA GOP should formulate an initiative to cut the state income tax. Start small, say cut 1 percentage point from the tax. Keep it simple. Don’t have different rate cuts for different groups. The same for everybody: 1 percentage point off the rate.
It would be a winning issue at the polls. And it would be a winning issue for GOP candidates.
Slogan: “1 percent for California families.”
Democrats will say, “Oh, you’re helping the rich, who need to pay their fair share. They should pay 13.3 percent of income instead of a measly 12.3 percent.”
Forget that jibe. The focus should be on the middle class, which pays an incredible 9.3 percent beginning at about $55,000 of income. So if your family income is, say, $80,000 — barely into the middle class in exorbitantly expensive California — your overall tax rate is something like 6 percent. So, cutting that down to 5 percent would mean a savings of about $800 a year.
Call it the “$800 middle-class tax cut.”
Or: “The California family tax cut.”
Democrats will wail that it will take money from the poor, the schools, the handicapped.
Retort: “Just reform the $100 K pensions that are bankrupting the state and the money easily is there.”
Retort 2: “Tax collectors are harassing people for their political and religious beliefs, let’s give them less to mess with.”
Come on, guys, get creative for a change. California Republicans should be known for more than sticking their heads in the beach stand or moving to Texas.
And keep demonizing the IRS and other tax collectors.
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