To Keep from Cutting Wasteful Spending,
Cowardly Democrat Legislative Leaders
Want Local Governments to Raise Taxes

September 24th, 2002

(RALEIGH) - "We've known for a long time that Democrat legislative leaders want to increase spending and create more bloated government programs, but they don't have the courage to raise taxes to pay for their wasteful projects," said Bill Cobey, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party. "They know that North Carolinians won't stand for higher taxes when Democrats won't cut wasteful spending."

"Gov. 'Tax-Hike Mike,' House Speaker Jim Black, and other Democrat legislative leaders have figured out a way to get their deepest desires - more spending - while making someone else take the punishment for raising taxes," said Cobey. "This scheme is called 'local-option' sales tax."

"The bill for the inability of Democrat leaders to control runaway state spending has now come due for all of North Carolina's taxpayers through their local governments," said Cobey.

"But don't just believe Republicans," Cobey said. "Look at what Democrats have said about the cowardly shifting of taxes and blame to local governments."

From the Winston-Salem Journal, Tuesday, September 24, 2002:

"We're not being asked to raise this sales tax for you. We're being asked to raise it so that we can spend more here in Raleigh," - Rep. Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe

"Local government has been left high and dry by the governor's office, and by the Senate." - Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham

"It's time for us to keep our word. We didn't keep our word. Instead, we kept the local governments' money," - Rep. Alex Warner, D-Cumberland

"I can assure you that that credible opposition is going to remind you you raised taxes by $192 million in the six weeks before an election," - Rep. Bob Hensley, D-Wake

"Cowardly Democrat leaders, who want above all else to increase government spending, don't have the guts to raise taxes to get what they want, so they are literally 'passing the buck' and making local governments do the dirty work," said Cobey.

-NCGOP-

For more information, contact Jonathan C. Jordan at (919) 828-6423.