7. Taxes
I find it interesting that Democrats are associated with high taxes when our Republican leadership, which has been in control of our Legislature for the past 44 years, has raised taxes on small businesses and the middle class while giving gross tax breaks and giveaways to large corporations that have no vested interest in Arizona. Our Republican leadership practically turns somersaults when they see potential donors come their way, but they don't think twice about our own incredible resources. If we were to immediately cut off all these perks and instead give tax incentives to Arizona businesses, especially to create jobs, Arizona would benefit from the sudden increase in revenue. If the larger corporations also create jobs and actually invest in Arizona, we would still save money because of the increase in revenue.
My opponent claims she is for reducing taxes for Arizona's hardworking families and small businesses. With her approving of and wanting more tax breaks for the large corporations, how is that going to happen? What fairy-tale land does she live in where all taxes can be reduced and we still have everything we need? It certainly isn't happening here. Instead, we get voter-approved funding for our state parks wiped out because they found a little loophole: The initiative was approved before the Voter Protection Act was put into law. To so callously cut the very things that we could count on that were for our use as Arizona citizens is too much. And my opponent approves.
I also find the argument that we have the second-highest corporate taxes to be an incredibly interesting argument to give more tax breaks to large corporations. If corporations actually paid the second highest tax rate anywhere, I might understand the call to reduce taxes. But with large corporations actually paying less than 3%, I have to wonder about that little bit of misinformation. But use it, they do. Our Republican leadership is bent on helping the poor, helpless corporations that make record profits (and if you don't think so, look at the corporate quarterly reports recently issued) while they either continue layoffs or assure their stockholders that they are not considering bringing back any of the workers they laid off. Really? Why is it that when we've done everything that was asked of us, instead of creating this glorious Nirvana for all of us from trickle-down, we now have an unemployment rate that rivals the Great Depression. I used to believe the lies. No more. The rich don't create the jobs. Small businesses do, one or two jobs at a time. They deserve the tax incentives to get our economy rolling again.
