Thursday, February 12, 2009

You know, I just don't think I pay enough taxes


Sun Publications Steve Rose is a patriot. A Joe Biden patriot.

In a Wednesday editorial, Rose blamed the state's current fiscal crisis on tax cuts over the years. And not just the cuts from last year or the year before, but all tax cuts from, well, seemingly forever.
A friend who serves in the Legislature asked the state’s research team to figure out how much all the costs of all the tax cuts have totaled since 1995. The cumulative impact on Kansas, the study finds, is a loss of $7.6 billion in revenue during that period. We are now losing about $600 million a year from tax cuts.
Of course, Steve fails to mention the 0.4% hike in the state's sales tax the last time we spent way more than we had. Since Steve fails to mention the legislator who requested the study, or really anything else about the study, I have no idea if the $600 million figure includes reductions due to the extra revenue generated by the 2002 sales tax increase. And increases in cigarette taxes. And a 83% increase in property appraisals since 1997.

Of course there are others who would say we spend too much rather than we're taxed too little. AFP-Kansas Director Derrick Sontag noted, "had we restrained spending growth to five percent since 2004, we wouldn’t be facing this budget shortfall."

However, I have a solution that everyone, liberal or conservative, can support.

I encourage the legislature to pass a law allowing anyone to voluntarily increase their tax liability. No more waiting for politicians to act. No more pleading, begging for votes to increase taxes. You can just increase your own taxes!

It's great for everyone. Steve Rose, the Kansas Jackass and others who want higher taxes and more spending can do their patriotic part.

Of course, there's been some trouble lately with Democrats paying their taxes. Maybe that's why they want tax increases, because they'll never have to pay?

Nah, I'm sure when given the opportunity to contribute even more to the government, they'll jump on board.


And because I firmly believe in leading by example, anyone who voluntarily adds to their tax liability should get their name published on a government website so everyone can see what a joy it is to give money to the government. This, in turn, will encourage others to give.

And those of us who feel that spending increases of more than 5% year in and year out are bad... well... we can just pay our required taxes and be very unpatriotic.


37 comments:

Anonymous said...

But don't you know it's not our money, it's the governments money! They just let us keep some of it!

Anonymous said...

Tim-

Does your wife pay taxes on the reimbursments she gets from your campaign? It's nearly $14,000 over the past several years. That's a lot of money...

Anonymous said...

$14000?!?!?!?! Are you serious??? Why not just buy her a whole new car with that money?

Anonymous said...

If it's a reimbursement for expenses, why would someone pay taxes on it? A reimbursement by definition is not income.

I would have thought Republican's would know that.

Anonymous said...

well they probably weren't really reimbursements.

I mean 14k? on Mileage? did she drive to alaska and back 10 times?

Anonymous said...

"Reimbursments: when a state senator's salary just isn't enough."

Anonymous said...

Wow Timmy-boy, looks like you have some skeletons in your closet ehhh?

Anonymous said...

Tim "Why spend my money when I can spend yours" Huelskamp
I like the ring to that...

Anonymous said...

LOL. Wait, I thought Tim was the state senator, not his wife? Why is she getting $14,000? Does Tim want transparency in gov't now that he is done milking $14,000 of the taxpayer's money for his wife?

No wonder Tim doesn't bring any growth to his district, he is too busy milking the gov't for every dime he can. What do you do Timmy, round up the family at 6 AM and say, OK kids! Today Mommy is going to take you on a 48-hour roadtrip!

Oh, the hypocrisy.

Anonymous said...

Huelskamp so writes this blog. It even reads with a Kansas accent.

Anonymous said...

I love how hot-head Timmy can't even use proper English. Look at this senatance:

"I would have thought Republican's would know that."

Look at the "Republican's"

Maybe Tim should invest some of that $14,000 in learning some proper English!

Anonymous said...

"You know, I just don't think I should have to pay for the miles I drive, I am the wife of a state senator!"

Anonymous said...

"DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?!?!" -Tim Huelskamp

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have any documentation of the reimbursements?

Anonymous said...

There's nothing inappropriate about the reimbursement if it's from his campaign account.

Now, if you want to make a case that fiscal responsibility isn't his strong suit, since he spends campaign cash like a drunken sailor, that's a different story

Anonymous said...

Yea, and he still has more money in the bank that Wasinger. Poor Wassy.

Jason said...

Glad all the Wasinger pushers deflected all the attention off of little old me.

:-)

BTW- I pay my taxes and I'm a Democrat. It'd be nice if you didn't insult millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Kansans and indicated we don't pay our taxes. It's a lot like saying "All conservatives abuse prescription drugs" just because Rush Limbaugh does.

Anonymous said...

Once again, Timmy can't construct a proper sentence:

"Yea, and he still has more money in the bank that Wasinger"

Maybe he should spend that money on going back to schoolz?

Perhaps your guy that was stalking Wasinger's kids at school was scouting it out for you? BTW, are you reimbursing all of his mileage?

farmerjoe said...

Now Jason, I said some trouble!

What did you think of my idea for voluntary tax payments? Would you participate?

Anonymous said...

Wow, making fun of people for typos. That's an interesting strategy for a guy trying NOT to look like a New England elitist snob.

edumacated Suzzy

Anonymous said...

But Timmy, aren't you the most over-educated farmer ever? Isn't that what you said?

Anonymous said...

Timmy Timmy, you said at Kansas Days that you are the most over-educated farmer in Meade County. Are you backing away from that, Little Tim?

farmerjoe said...

You'd be steuben (spelling???) to think I'm Timmy!

Anonymous said...

Seriously though, the 14K issue --- there is just no getting around that...do you have a dirty habit of being a spender???

Anonymous said...

Farmer Joe, how much sleep do you lose not being able to put what you really want your profile to say: Over-Educated Farmer Timmy? POOR Timmy never wanted to go back to that farm... all those pesticides really did a number on him... soooooo overeducated.... don't.... want... to... goo... backkkk....

Anonymous said...

Sorry your event didn't go very well, Tiny Tim. Maybe you could donate some of that $14,000 you paid yourself back to your
own campaign? Or are you going to take out your anger by making a MEAN blog post tonight?

BOOO HOOOO


BOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO :(



:(

Anonymous said...

I wondered how long it would take before the Wasinger people flew off the handle. I thought you guys were taking the high road?

Never mind, I love to see you guys get in the mud!!! (Can you Democrat pick up???)

And attacking Huelskamp for being college educated and still choosing to go back to the family farm... excellent tactic. That'll go over so well with western Kansas farmers!

I love Republicans!!!!!!!! Keep up the good work!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe they funneled that money to pay for all of their adopted kids. I've heard the adoptions weren't legal.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I wondered how they were able to afford so many kids. Now I guess I know how.

Anonymous said...

That makes total sense. How much does an illegal adoption cost anyway?

Anonymous said...

Tim -

Is it true that you were thrown off the Ways and Means Committee in the senate?

Just curious...

Jason said...

Honest to goodness, the comments on this blog are about as fabulous as anything in the Kansas blogosphere.

As to taxes- lord knows I don't want to let conservatives get off without paying for better roads...same logic that applies to votes on property tax increases, too.

Anonymous said...

The $14k was money raised by the campaign, reimbursed to his wife, from the campaign. Had he not reported it, would you be attacking him for making an in-kind contribution without reporting it.

Get a life.

Then there's this little comment:

{I love how hot-head Timmy can't even use proper English. Look at this senatance:

"I would have thought Republican's would know that."}

Is "senatance" your way of trying to sound smart while trying to insult him?

It didn't work.

Pathetic

- Dan said...

Wow. This string of comments has sure gone off in a few directions. Can't tell if they are coming from anonymous Wasinger supporters or anonymous Dems or what.
Attacking spelling or grammar on a blog? What a waste of time. I know from experience, when you're commenting or posting, time spent on editing is often limited. Get over it folks.
If that is the trivial sort of thing you're attacking, then it means Huelskamp doesn't have many faults.
Attacking adoptions? Here is what I hear you saying "Hey Huelskamp! You're so worthless for giving a home and family to those kids who didn't have a family! You suck!"
You commenters are wasting my time. I have to find a different hobby then reading blogs...

- Dan said...

I'm taking my anti-anti-Huelskamp comments to my Twitter profile. Follow me @ksredrider.

- Dan said...

Dang HH,
I don't know what the deal is. Either the KS-01 blog is not working properly or I have been blocked from posting on it. It won't allow me to post any more.
Surely the blog is just not working properly because surely with their supposed equal treatment of the candidates and unbiased commentary, they wouldn't have any reason to censor me, right?
I guess you're stuck with me now.

farmerjoe said...

That is too funny! You're always welcome to post here!

I was even nice enough to leave their comments up but they won't let you comment. Not nice at all.