LeMieux invokes the T-word on the budget

Last week, in The LeMieux Report, Gov. Charlie Crist's long-time adviser George LeMieux signaled the big tuition-hike announcement, with a declaration that "for years, state leaders have ignored higher education reform." This week, a new LeMieux Report states unequivocally that "everything, including taxes, will be on the table when legislators return for the March regular session."

LeMieux says to look for a special session in December or January to shore up the 2008-09 budget." The Buzz hears from a well-placed source that lawmakers are considering the weeks of Jan. 5 or 12 for a budget-related session. That would give staff members sufficient time to analyze the latest revenue forecast to develop a menu of options, and would place the session shortly before President Obama's inauguration. (Note: In 2006, Crist campaigned on a promise to lower taxes, not raise them).

Comments

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

LeMieux speaks, but last we heard from Charlie we didn't need a special session and he planned to cut budgets across the board by 10% including things like:

Amber Alerts
13 field offices for the state police
Health care for poor pregnant mothers
Massive cuts in Pre-K, College, and K-12
And million

A few more cuts proposed as part of Charlie's last solution here:

http://draftalex.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/calling-for-a-special-session-what-should-florida-save/

T-Word? as in "(T)ax the Rich" or "(T)ime for some tighter regulations on growth and development"? I've never heard a Republican say that before, but I have to agree; it's about time.

Maybe he means (T)rash the Economy, (T)rash the Environment, or (T)rash our Schools? Those are the "T-Words" most often employed by the GOP.

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

Oh and remember this line:

''If you want higher taxes, you vote for who? Jim Davis,'' he told his audience in Orlando. ``If you want lower taxes, you vote for who? Charlie Crist.''

[Elias]

GOP Wars: Rivera vs. Curbelo.

Read about it at http://versaillesbeat.blogspot.com

2:11

The rich are already taxed. What is your point?

(T)ake back all (T)ax breaks the (T)urd-in-chief gave them?

213-

Alex Sink has advocated for increased taxes on many occassions, including Hillsborough County's penny sales tax increase. If you need the info I can send it to you.

2:34 Good for her. Time to end the irresponsible tax breaks that Republicans use to buy votes.

2:30,

Other than the 2001 tax cuts which reduced the tax rate on all wage earners, name one other tax break.

[indknow]

I had no idea George spoke for the STATE OF FLORIDA from his law firm. Alex, Steve, do you find anything unusual about that?

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

There is a difference between doing what you say and also just doing your job.

Advocating for revenue enhancements for things like public transportation that will increase the quality of jobs in the Hillsborough county is different from ... ya know ... campaign against taxes then raising them.

Alex does both.

Charlie does neither. He has not even said we need a special session -- last time he spoke on the issue he said everything was fine he planned to borrow the money and then said we'd "tighten our belts" to the tune of 3 Billion.

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

2:39 -- it is very interesting that a lawyer is our best indication that there will be a special session cause Charlie ain't doing much talking or much of anything, just trying to cut health care and education by $2 billion. Including a $65 Million dollar shift of to local government and a $1 billion raise on meidcare/medicaid out of pocket costs while people are struggling.

[Buzzard]

Looks like Alex is bored today.

Somebody have some collating or something she can do?

2:37
Intangibles tax

You always know a democrat is posting - they use terms like "revenue enhancement" instead of "let's raise sales taxes, though we know sales taxes are regressive and hurt the poor more than the rich, but it's OK because we care and our hearts are in the right place."

2:37 You're right, in fact, since the rich haven't had any tax breaks, let's just agree to let them pay the same % they had in the 30's and 40's - right after the last Republican-caused Great Depression. Say, 75%?

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

BTW Charlie got to work at noon today:

http://draftalex.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/special-session-watch-crist-advisor-lemieux-says-it-will-happen-and-taxes-are-on-the-table/

You always know a republican is posting - they use terms like "free market" and "welfare state" instead of "let's make the government the tool of big business and eliminate every vestige of human compassion or social responsibility from our political system."

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

2:59 -- So your for a progressive income tax?

1. What about the intangibles tax? How much is it? What did George Bush lower it to?

2. No one said anything about not having any tax breaks, I was just wondering if you people have any idea what you are talking about when refering to all of these tax breaks that George Bush allegedly gave to the wealthy. My question was answered.

We should quit picking on the po' folks to pay exorbitant government bigshots' salaries. How about some luxury taxes? How about a 50% tax on any alcoholic beverage that costs over 6 cents per net ounce? How about a 50% tax on every sporting event ticket? How about a $10 per cigar tax? How about an extra $200 per boat registration? How about a 30% tax on luxury car registrations? How about a 50% per ticket tax on theme parks? A

Git on it, Alex

what about raiding a few trust funds?

3:07a No we all lack your ability to obtusely disguise a tax break under another name. But if we just remember that conservatives practice taxe cuts for the rich and deregulation like it was a religion, and remember that by doing so, they ruined our economy, and if we vote accordingly, then we'll manage to muddle through somehow.

3:19 name one economy that Bush has ruined, other than 2001 and 2008.

Oh, land sakes alive. It's La Obtusicon! How you been, little gal?

Republicans destroyed our economy.

Sorry, conservatives, I mean.

[Gator(R)]

Elimination of the 'intangible tax' was done under Jeb, not George. It was a state tax on intangible personal property - repealed in 2006.

Maybe 2:30 meant that clever comment to cover both:)

3:33 Good call Gator(R). We sometimes thankfuly tend to forget about Jeb. Maybe we can include Florida's under economies that (a) Bush has ruined?

Wait a minute give CC credit. He's the greatest Governor of all time. Nobody polls an issue like him. I'm sure as soon as his staff finishes polling the state and 51% say yes special session he will do it.

Florida, isn't she a beautiful state? I love her.

3:07 - They tried the Luxury tax in 1991, guess what - it didn't work.

Let us discuss trickle down. If a wealthy person decides to buy a yacht, he/she is paying the wages/product of the yacht maker, the supplier who sells the yacht maker materials, then the advertising folks, yada, yada, yada.

Welfare mom and dad are not going to make the economy better by spending. Stop the wealth envy....

Let's talk about trickle down: Failure!

Nuf said.

STATE OF FLORIDA

Classified Ad

WANTED

to begin working A.S.A.P.

One Republican governor with intelligence committed to leading the best state in the country.

Primary for 2010 coming soon.

The state is spiraling toward destruction while the extremists on both sides argue about which path toward total economic ruin is best. The partisans don't care so long as they raise campaign funds and get elected. Meanwhile, the citizens suffer. Oh well, that's the "people's government" at work.

3:50 - if a wealthy person can affort a yacht, he can afford extra tax. Peanuts to him, since there's a good chance he's a crook anyway

As John McCain and the Florida elected Republicans know, the fundamentals of our economy are strong. We don't really need to do anything because the free markets will turn around in another three years or so. In the meantime, governments should layoff hard working people who were contributing to the health of our state while increasing welfare and unemployment payments to these same people.

They often say that government should behave more like the family budget, except that the family budget that they mean is the one where a father has to decide whether to feed his children or put a roof over their heads. No family that I know of would make this choice willingly without at least trying to raise revenues (working two jobs, etc.). I wish they would follow their own advice.

[Joe the Laid Off Plumber]

Tax this:

The seminar was titled "How Not to Get in Trouble as a Legislator."

The trouble is, it was put on by House Democrats, so the one person who should have been there wasn't: Rep. Ray Sansom of Destin, Republican speaker of the Florida House.

Of course, Republicans held a similar discussion when they gathered this week to prepare for a new legislative year.

No, Sansom is not in trouble in the literal sense. But the first week of his two-year term as speaker did not produce headlines for the scrapbook.

On Tuesday, the day Sansom became speaker to multiple standing ovations, the board of trustees at his hometown college gave him a $110,000-a-year job as vice president for planning and development. (He will be paid from private sources like bookstore profits, not tax dollars).

Sansom has longstanding ties to the school. He went there when it was called Okaloosa-Walton Community College, and he has an advanced college degree in education.

But last year, he played a key role in securing a state college designation for the school that changed its name to Northwest Florida State College and allows it to offer bachelor's degrees. And, as the Times' Alex Leary also reported Friday, he got a $200,000 state grant for the school's "leadership institute" in the current budget, despite this being the toughest year in decades for such gifts.

"Remember, we are a citizens' Legislature," Sansom said of his new venture. "We have jobs. We have careers."

That's the point. Would Sansom have been landed that nice job if he were Ray Sansom, all-around good guy with no political profile? Hardly.

As a college employee, Sansom will now find himself under heightened scrutiny whenever the House takes up any matter involving colleges and universities, which is how it should be.

3:19,

Ok, give us one example of a tax break in disguise even.

My guess is you can't because you've bought into the rhetoric.

And how can it be that George bush ruined the economy in 2001 and then again in 2008? If it was ruined, how could it be ruined again? Or could it be...just possibly...that market economies are cyclical by nature? Could it be that business cycles might possibly be impacted by events exclusive of the White House's current resident?

If so, last time unemployment was at 7% was in 1993. Bill Clinton was President then. By your rationale, that was his fault. He ruined the economy in 1993. But then how could George Bush have ruined it in 2001 since it was already ruined in 1993?

[Gator(R)]

3:19 Paraphrasing one of my favorite Monty Python 'In Search of the Holy Grail' lines:

"Well, it got better!"

Good point, I didn't catch it your first post.

[Gator(R)]

actually meant 4:47

Why does anyone care about what George Lemieux says?

Get rid of BOTH Charlie AND the so-called "Maestro". Both disloyal, self-serving jerks.

4:08 envious much?

Frenchman what happens when Greer goes down? Count votes please!!!!!!!

Increases in public university tuition is a tax increase.

Is the Republican mantra becoming more mature about such matters?

4:47 You're right, as always. In fact there was no recovery after the 2001 crash. Bush just created the illusion of a recovery by fostering an new bubble in the housing market. It was just an appearance of prosperity and postponement of the inevitible. Kind of like Reaganomics; it was all a big, scam based on irresponsible tax cuts and de-regulation that future taxpayers will get stuck with the bill for. Unless we tax the crap out of the rich and get the money back, that is.

The Republican Primary challenge to Crist is well on its way:
1. He expanded gambling
2. He did nothing for insurance
3. He did nothing for property taxes
4. Now he wants to RAISE taxes
***His political career is over!

[terminator]

Remember the "Maestro" is the genius who gave us "empty chair" Charlie Crist, you know that absentee Governor who hasn't done much for the state of Florida except offer lame hackneyed cliches like "I'm optimistic"?
Funny how George isn't looking so smart these days.
The SS Florida continues to sink into the economic abyss while Chuck schedules his next tanning salon appointment.
Didn't Chuck say we didn't need a special session and we'd just raid trust funds to get us out of this?
Oh, by the way, the Lawton Chiles Endowment has shrunk from over $2 billion to about $1 billion.
Calling Rhea Chiles? Are you going to defend your deceased husband's legacy or allow stuff suit Charlie to wipe it out due to his ineptitude at governing?
Gotta love that Chuck Crist fella.
Don't say termie didn't tell you so!
wee wee Frenchie!

[Big Brother]

Big Education shall not be touched and it shall get bigger because the indoctrinatio.....um..l...the education of our youth is a very important goal and it is all for the children. Increase the pay of all tenured professors and let them decide how best to indoctr....educate your kids.