PRESS RELEASE---NC Senator Phil Berger

PRESS RELEASE

Senate Republican Leader
Senator Phil Berger
26th Senatorial District

Phone Number: (919) 733-5708 North Carolina Senate

1026 Legislative Building Raleigh, NC 27601



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2007



Democrats’ Only Answer: “Hike Taxes”

Existing Revenue Structure Adequate say Republicans



Legislative Democrats continue to push tax hikes on North Carolina ’s families despite a second consecutive budget surplus of more than a billion dollars (2005-2006 surplus $2.4 billion; 2006-2007 surplus $1.5 billion). Fresh from voting for a Continuing Resolution that breaks repeated promises to sunset “temporary” taxes enacted in 2001, Democrats offer only one answer to their current budget impasse – more and higher taxes. They ignore the fact that North Carolina taxpayers already shoulder the heaviest tax burden in the southeast and one of the highest in the nation. Even though the Democrat controlled General Assembly has been in session since January and the primary order of business is the adoption of a state budget before the June 30 end of the state’s fiscal year, Democrats voted to give themselves an additional month to decide which taxes they will hike.



Over the past several weeks Legislative Republicans have outlined a way to address North Carolina’s growing transportation and infrastructure needs, presented a workable plan to enable the state to assume the full burden of Medicaid, and set out a budget proposal that, if enacted, would eliminate the Democrats’ 2001 “temporary” income and sales tax increases, fully fund government services, and provide a state budget surplus within existing tax rates. Rather than adopt, or even address, the Republican proposals, Democrats continue to search for the “right” tax, or taxes, to raise and continue to finalize plans for spending even more money.



Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) made the following statement:



“Republicans, like most North Carolinians , do not think the State needs an additional hike in sales, income, or any other taxes. We have consistently said the problem is not that the state taxes too little, but that the Democrats in the Legislature spend too much. Especially now, with the issue of trust in government being front and center because of ongoing Democrat ethical scandals, it is time repeated promises to eliminate ‘temporary’ taxes be kept.



“Senate Republicans supported Senate Democrats and their version of a new State budget because it kept the promise of tax relief for the people of North Carolina and was the right step to help restore the credibility of state elected officials. Republicans are prepared to work on a bipartisan solution finalizing a state spending plan, but will not support taking more money from North Carolina ’s citizens at a time when state government has a surplus of over $1.5 billion.”



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Methinks things are gonna get a little interesting down in Raleigh...