Statement By Grover Glenn Norquist, President Americans for Tax Reform

On behalf of the more than 2500 Virginians who are members of Americans for
Tax Reform I urge the General Assembly of Virginia to reject enacting any
law that would create a statewide or regional referendum for the purpose of
raising taxes on the people of Virginia.

I would make five points.

First, the state of Virginia does not need to extract more money, time and
resources from the citizens of Virginia. State spending in Virginia has
been growing rapidly over the past two decades. The American Legislative
Exchange Council (ALEC) has reported That Virginia General fund
expenditures rose 98% from 1990-2000. Only eight states saw their state
spending increase more rapidly.

Virginia State and Local spending has increased faster than inflation.

There is plenty of money for transportation. There has been a lack of
prioritizing by the state government. The state legislature has not
treated transportation as a priority?they have allowed other spending to
surge at the expense of Transportation. This lack of planning and setting
of wrong priorities is the responsibility of the state government?not the
fault of taxpayers trying to provide for their families.

Spend what you have wisely. If something is really a priority, spend first
on the first priority. Apparently, transportation is the first priority of
the citizens, but the last priority for politicians writing a state budget.

Second, the idea of setting aside the most important spending priorities
and acting as if they would be cut if there was any fiscal discipline is an
old and tired ploy of politicians. In Washington D.C. it is called the
Washington Monument ploy?"if you ask us to cut one dollar from the budget
we will be forced to close the Washington Monument. We wouldn't cut
foreign aid or welfare for the able bodied. No, our first cut would be the
Washington Monument. Followed closely by social security payments"

Virginia is not alone in having politicians who would try this ploy with
transportation. Many states have politicians who have tried this. The idea
of avoiding accountability for tax hikes by throwing a tax increase onto
the ballot is also an old idea. Not a good one, just an old one.

Why are these taxes and spend politicians not suggesting that
transportation be fully funded but that welfare spending and legislative
pay increases be put up for a vote if there is a shortage of funds? The
question answers itself. In state after state politicians create a train
wreck by spending recklessly during times of economic growth and then when
growth slows down they turn to taxpayers to "fix" the train wreck they
knowingly created. This is how New Jersey and Connecticut were saddled
with an income tax. It is the ploy now being used by the Governor of
Tennessee. He wrecked the budget. Now he wants taxpayers to bail out his
poor judgment and lack of discipline.

Third, voting to put a tax increasing referendum before the people of
Virginia and/or any region of the state is a vote for higher taxes. That
vote is a violation of the Virginia Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which
states that the signer will " oppose and vote against any and all efforts
to increase taxes." This referendum is most certainly an effort to raise
taxes.

Fourth, some might argue that, "oh, we just want to let the people
decide."

Nice Try.

If the state legislature has decided that it cannot be trusted to make
decisions and that they would instead be made by the voters themselves,
then they can and should enact the right of initiative as is enjoyed by the
citizens of 23 states in the United States. That allows citizens to gather
signatures and put on the ballot laws that might increase taxes, but also
that might cut taxes or enact other laws. That is allowing people to
decide.
Handing voters one choice---vote for this referred question, who's wording
and timing has been structured by its advocates?is not empowering voters.

I would endorse the initiative process for state and local questions. I
understand former Governor George Allen endorsed this idea as well.

A single referendum that allows a tax hike as the only solution is a
mockery of the idea of letting citizens decide. One measure of how his is
simply an effort to distance legislators from their actions and avoid
accountability is that this scheme is to be put on the ballot at a time
when state legislators themselves are not on the ballot. How convenient.

Fifth, spend more money is a politicians way of avoiding responsibility,
accountability or the need to reform old ways of doing things. It is a
substitute for planning, thought and hard work. The citizens of Virginia
deserve better from their elected representatives.