Only two days after Gov. Jan Brewer proposed billions of dollars in tax hikes in the midst of a recession, cheerleaders for tax increases in the Grand Canyon State have begun spreading misinformation.

Gov. Jan Brewer and 30 Arizona lawmakers have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which is a written promise to oppose any and all efforts to raise taxes. Make no mistake, this is a committment that elected officials make to their constituents, not Grover Norquist or Americans for Tax Reform. 

Anyone who claims otherwise is either misinformed or lying.  Need proof?  Just look at the language of the Pledge which can be seen by clicking here.

Click "Read More" to see the statement that Americans for Tax Reform sent to all Arizona media yesterday and click here for a pdf version.

Gov. Jan Brewer Proposes Billions in Tax Increases

Taxpayer Group Announces Opposition to Brewer’s Proposal

 

Washington, D.C. – Today, Americans for Tax Reform condemned Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s plans to impose billions of dollars in new taxes on Arizona families and employers. In 2006, Governor Brewer signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge - a written promise to her constituents to “oppose any and all efforts to increase taxes.”

 

Gov. Brewer proposed raising taxes on Arizonans by $1 billion per year for up to 3 years. 30 Arizona legislators have made a written pledge to not raise taxes. Any tax hike proposal in Arizona must garner a two-thirds supermajority vote in both chambers in order to become law.

 

“The last thing you want to do in a recession is raise taxes.  Brewer’s proposal will do little more than hurt Arizona families, destroy jobs and encourage businesses to relocate across state lines,” said Grover Norquist, Presidents of Americans for Tax Reform. “Temporary tax hikes are about as prevalent in nature as unicorns. If you use a land line phone then you are still paying the ‘temporary’ tax hike put in place in 1898 to fund Spanish-American War.

 

According to the Center for Fiscal Accountability, Arizona taxpayers already spend 194 days – more than half the year – working just to pay the cost of government. Furthermore, many Arizona taxpayers are already wondering how they will cope if President Barack Obama’s budget – which contains more than $1 trillion in tax hikes over the next 10 years – is put into law.

 

“Arizona does not have a budget deficit. It has an overspending problem. Since 2004, Arizona’s spending grew by an astounding 57 percent.  Now Arizona is paying the price for years of mismanagement and fiscal vandalism under former Gov. Napolitano.” added Norquist. “As recently as 2006, Gov. Brewer made a written pledge to her constituents to oppose any and all efforts to increase taxes. It is unfortunate that Gov. Brewer has decided not to maintain this commitment as governor where she has the opportunity to enact necessary and meaningful reforms.  Some elected officials view taxpayers, rather than spending interests, as their constituents. Americans for Tax Reform commends those elected officials like Sens. Pamela Gorman (R-Anthem), Barbara Leff (R-Paradise Valley), and Ron Gould (R-Lake Havasu), who work for taxpayers rather than against them.”

Posted by Patrick Gleason on Friday, March 6, 2009 11:54 AM EST

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