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It sure is strange for a Democrat to celebrate his state's low tax burden when he has supported major tax increases in the past and currently campaigns for new ones.

Yet that's the ironic position in which Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine finds himself after Ford Motor Co. announced that it would close its Norfolk plant in 2008.

GOVERNOR KAINE TOUTS INDEPENDENT STUDIES THAT SHOW VIRGINIA IS LOW TAX, BUSINESS-FRIENDLY STATE

~ Tax Foundation places Virginia 41^st among 50 states ~

 

RICHMOND – On the day after the federal income tax filing deadline, Governor Timothy M. Kaine highlighted a new report from the non-partisan, non-profit Tax Foundation that ranks Virginia as the 41^st lowest among the 50 states in state and local tax burden. The Tax Foundation analyzed state and local business licensing and sales taxes, real property and tangible personal property rates, Census data, and other factors to determine its annual ratings. It is the third independent, non-partisan study in recent weeks to designate Virginia as a low tax state with business-friendly policies. 

"This report from the Tax Foundation reinforces the fact that Virginia is one of the nation’s best-managed states, with a diverse and growing economy and a low tax burden," said Governor Kaine. "We are in this favorable position because we have followed conservative fiscal policies, we plan responsibly, and we keep our commitments. We will maintain this successful approach as we work to continue moving Virginia forward."

Such a low tax burden is in spite of Kaine's best efforts to the contrary. As lieutenant governor, Kaine endorsed then-Gov. Mark Warner's $1.36 billion tax increase in 2004, which has produced a $544 million surplus. Kaine now proposes "new revenue sources" (a.k.a. taxes) to the tune of an additional $1 billion a year to fund road construction. This breaks his campaign promise, only months old, to veto tax increases for transportation.

Note that Kaine points to low taxes when jobs are leaving, but isn't proposing tax cuts to keep them.

topics:
Taxes, Transportation, Business