Dean's tax claims bring skepticism

[Bombtrack]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2003/12/07/deans_tax_claims_bring_skepticism/

In his just-published autobiography, "Winning Back America," Howard Dean underscores what has become a longstanding central theme of his campaign. He writes: "We cut taxes by 30 percent over the lifetime of my administration." In Iowa and New Hampshire, his campaign is airing a commercial promoting Dean as a "fiscal conservative who cut state income taxes -- twice."

On the campaign's website, Dean is even more specific, saying that his two cuts reduced the state's top income tax rate from 13.5 percent to 9.5 percent.

But an examination of Dean's record as Vermont's governor has found that the bigger tax cut was in fact signed into law by his Republican predecessor, Richard Snelling. In 1991, Snelling signed legislation authorizing higher tax rates that would "sunset" two years later. Dean, then lieutenant governor, took over after Snelling died, and the rates dropped automatically at the end of 1993.
...

[mistertrickster]

1. Yes . . . and Dean supported it . . . so what? I love the way the

media digs into Dean stories with a fine toothed comb going back decades, while giving Bush a free pass to steal elections, give his girlfriend an illegal abortion, sell stocks on insider information and go AWOL during wartime.

Supporting and not repealing a tax cut set into position to take effect is the same as passing it, duh.

[Hep]

2. Let him have his fun

This may be the only place where he thinks people will listen to him.

[Jerseycoa]

4. Refute?

Do you refute the rest of the points in the article?

[Karmadillo]

3. Thanks for posting, Bombtrack. The more people know about

the candidates, the better able they are to make their choice. Of course, if history is any guide, you'll be attacked for posting what appears to be a factually correct article. Not sure why this happens. It would be nice if the thread could stay on topic.

[KaraokeKarlton]

5. Hmmm, I wonder why Bombtrack didn't tell everyone that Dean could have

prevented the tax cuts if he wanted to? Maybe it's because he/she doesn't Dean given credit for anything he did that could be in any way viewed as positive. Yep, that's the ticket.

I live in Vermont and Dean was a damn great governor. He'll make a damn great president. He was able to do plenty of things all Vermonters were happy with, which is why he has always gotten very broad support.

[papau]

6. Bombtrack presents a fair article - headline writer is off base

Dean took a lot of heat for budget cuts in lieu of keeping the higher income tax rate.

And this article points that out. So once again Dean tells truth, and media tries to sell a lie.

As to an increase in sales tax - after clothing exclusion - versus an income tax that follows the tax loopholed federal tax rules - I have seen studies where the sales tax is more progressive in the end.

I have not seen studies specific to Vermont - and indeed my bias would be that he made a bad choice in chosing a higher sales tax over a higher income tax. But there are a lot of Vt. conservatives that must vote the bill out and onto his desk - Dem control is very weak - and this may have been a case of half a loaf.