Category Archives: Occupy 2.0

Math is not really an interpretive study. However, Reverend Barber, the defacto leader of the NC Democrats seems to think it is. Barber is welcome to his own opinion on taxes and the budget, but not his own facts.

Barber’s theme of a recent News and Observer Op-Ed was ‘eat the rich’ and to attack the new tax code, which has been hailed as a 4th best in the country and and it ‘blows away other states’ and brings NC from 44th to 17th in the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index. Barber thinks his math is better though:

But the General Assembly created this year’s so-called budget crisis by passing hefty tax breaks for the wealthiest and the corporations last year. If our lawmakers found the courage to repeal the unfair tax policies, we would gain up to $1.2 billion in additional revenue.”

That “hefty tax break for the wealthiest” is the same “hefty tax break” for every North Carolinian – we’ve gone to a 5.8% flat rate. The corporations rate was originally 6.9%, it’s now 6%. OH THE HUMANITY! We might actually attract businesses and jobs!!! Barber doesn’t even mention our sales tax of 4.75%, which is lower than the national average of 5.95% or our property tax average with ranks 12th lowest nationally. They, and the fact most voters approve of the changes, don’t fit the narrative of eat the rich though. So pfffft!
Quick Reminder, Barber said his budget was ‘revenue neutral’ before he said it would bring in $1.2 billion: Continue reading →