Montana Democrats release audio of Gianforte proposing sales tax

[TexasTowelie]

HELENA — Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte once called replacing Montana's income and capital gains taxes with a sales tax an "ideal solution" that would draw high-tech businesses to the state, according to an audio clip released by the state Democratic Party leader Thursday.

Gianforte is in a close race against Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock in the Nov. 8 election, and the timing of the release was meant to influence Montana voters who have twice before rejected initiatives to institute a statewide sales tax.

Gianforte, in testimony before then-Gov. Judy Martz's Income Tax Advisory Council in 2002, said Montana's tax structure was hindering it from being a worldwide competitor in the technology industry because executives would not want to move to a state where they would pay high taxes.

"The best solution, because our competition's at zero income tax rate and zero capital gains, would be to replace the current income and capital gains rate with a sales tax," Gianforte said. "I know that there are a few political issues and constitutional issues, but I didn't think I'd be fair in coming here and not saying that I believe that is the ideal solution."

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/democrats-release-audio-of-gianforte-proposing-sales-tax/article_3d520010-1095-5a9f-9a08-ecce22aa7102.html

[bhikkhu]

1. Some people may be unaware, but sales tax is inherently regressive

while income taxes are generally progressive. An example, everyone reasonable rich or desperately poor eats, wears clothing, etc. A rich man may spend a very small percentage of his means on basic needs, but a poor man may spend all of his income to survive. A government that relies on sales tax weighs heavily on a poor man and very lightly on a rich man.

On the other hand, a government that relies on income tax takes more from those that have more, and less from those that have less.

[BlueMTexpat]

3. This ....

exactly.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. This has never been a popular idea

in MT. If Gianforte couldn't persuade officials during the term of the despicably incompentent Judy Martz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Martz), Gianforte doesn't have a prayer of doing so today.

Hope that this - together with his stance on every other issue - sinks his candidacy. Please the Goddess!