Huckabee Attack Ad Runs Anyway
Huckabee the Tax-Cutter?
A second Huckabee ad misses the mark by an even wider margin. In an ad titled "Taxes," Huckabee boasts, "In 160 years in Arkansas we'd never really had a broad-based, widespread tax cut. I was able to sign the first ever." It's true that in 1997, Huckabee championed an income tax reduction that, according to a study by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, saved Arkansas taxpayers $90.6 million the first year it was in effect. That surely qualifies as a broad-based, widespread cut. It's less clear, however, whether that is the first one in 160 years. In 1991, then-Gov. Bill Clinton signed into law a bill that cut income taxes for some of Arkansas' poorest working families and removed many others from the income tax rolls entirely. "Broad-based" and "widespread" can be a matter of interpretation, but to our ears, Huckabee's claim to have authored the first such bill in 160 years is exaggerated.
More to the point, we're weary of pointing out that Huckabee's tenure as governor actually resulted in a $505.1 million net increase in taxes. And it's worth noting that some of those increases were as broad-based and widespread as the cuts. In 2003, for example, Huckabee signed a bill that increased taxes on tobacco and established a 3 percent income tax surcharge. That bill raised $97 million -- or about $6 million more than his broad-based tax cuts saved.
Sources
Associated Press. "Bill to Restore Death Penalty Fails in Boston." 16 Nov. 2005.
Massachusetts, Commonwealth Connector. Connector Web site.
Massachusetts state law. Chapter 58 of the Acts of 2006, approved 12 Apr. 2006.
Commonwealth Care. Benefits and Copays. Accessed 3 Jan. 2008.
Mooney, Brian C. "Analyst Puts Increase in Fees, Taxes at $700 Million." The Boston Globe. 27 Sep. 2006.
Associated Press. "Romney to Sign Bill Extending State's Assault Weapons Ban." 30 Jun. 2004.
Helman, Scott. "Romney Retreats on Gun Control." The Boston Globe. 14 Jan. 2007.
Abel, David. "Romney Joined NRA in August." The Boston Globe. 19 Feb. 2007.
Reprinted with permission from factcheck.org
With Joe Miller, Jessica Henig and Lori Robertson
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Member Comments
Posted By: dmccoy21 @ 01/12/2008 3:12:33 PM
Comment: I also work at a TV station. While you are correct it can be changed at the last minute I also know how many channels that pulling and ad has to go. Its not as if he could have just called the stations operator and tell them not to run it.
Posted By: JRWhittler @ 01/10/2008 12:25:24 PM
Comment: Barak Obama is not a Muslim. His father was born a Muslim but becdame a non-practicing one.He left when Barak was two years old, and there was almost no influence on Barak's religious views by his father. Barak Osama is a committed Christian who is a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. YuWang should check out his facts first before rushing to mislabel someone. Just because Barak's name (Barak Hussein Obama) sounds "Muslim" doesn't make him one. The name is Arabic, and there are many Christians with Arabic names. A case in point here: "David" is a Hebrew name but it doesn't make a person Jewish.
Posted By: Johnsonium @ 01/07/2008 3:23:12 PM
Comment: Well, I don't think the Democratic party is courting the racist vote. So, you are free to vote for the Republicans if you like.