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Taxes Tag

I blogged last week that Seattle's city council pulled its head tax less than a month after the members passed it after legitimate pressure from Amazon, Starbucks, and other businesses. I detailed in my blog the trouble with unnecessary corporate taxes such as fewer new jobs and less expansion. Despite this, the cities that make up California's infamous Silicon Valley wants to pass its own head tax.

Less than a month after they passed it, Seattle's city council voted to repeal the corporate head tax after facing legitimate pressure from companies like Starbucks and Amazon. The tax would have forced companies that make "more than $20 million a year pay an annual $275 tax per employee." The council predicted the tax would raise $47 million a year for "affordable-housing and homeless services." The city council planned to use that extra tax money to counter the city's growing homeless problem.

One would think the Democratic legislature of New Jersey would be eager to pass a tax hike on millionaires now that the state has a Democratic governor. After all, they passed the hike five times during the tenure of Republican Chris Christie even though they knew he would veto it. Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed "$1.7 billion in new taxes and other revenue to pay for public schools, public-employee pensions and other priorities." His fellow Democrats have "balked" at this idea along with a rise in sales tax.

California's citizens are busy collecting signatures and submitting ballot proposals so that they can change the laws created by the Democratic Party-dominated state legislature. Groups had been hard at work to repeal the onerous gas tax that has been in place since last November. They managed to collect enough signatures, which will mean the proposition to repeal will be on the ballot in time for the state's gubernatorial election this November.

In addition to their multiple calls for greater gun control, Democrats have found another message they believe is a winner for the 2018 midterms. They want to repeal the GOP tax cuts. They can't stand the idea of people being allowed to keep more of their own money.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) has proposed his first budget, and it's loaded with new taxes and tax policy that is intended to raise approximately $1.6 billion in new tax revenue. The tax increases are being met with mixed reactions from New Jersey Democrats; some favor the proposals, some don't think they will raise enough money for Murphy's progressive agenda, and some are opposed to a key new tax, the millionaire's tax.

Earlier this week Senate Democrats introduced a tax plan designed to show what Democrats can be expected to do should they win back majorities in Congress. Their press release refers to their avoidance of "gimmicks and giveaways"; this appears to be a reference to the bonuses, pay raises, and private sector investment and job creation afforded by the new tax law.  All of which, the Democrat proposal would roll back.

Baltimore's new Mayor Catherine Pugh is sending public school students to the "March for Our Lives" event in Washington, DC. The event has been organized for the students of Parkland who have been repeatedly exploited by the left to push gun control. Pugh is charging the taxpayers of Baltimore for the trip.

Philadelphia set the bar last year when officials added a 1.5 cents-an-ounce to sweetened beverages. It only brought in $78.8 million...$13 million less than they city hoped. You mean to tell me that when you charge a lot more for pop that people won't buy it? I'm SHOCKED! Not really. I mean, as a loyal Diet Coke consumer, the tax wouldn't have pushed me away. But come on. You shouldn't really rely on a tax on something that people can avoid.

Democrats promised the passage of tax reform would spell certain doom, but their absurd fear mongering was all for naught. Seeing proof that Trump's tax reform package positively impacted their bank accounts, the majority now support the legislation.

Democrats have done their best to downplay the significance of the recent tax reform bill. Nancy Pelosi even repeatedly referred to the benefits as crumbs. Unfortunately for them, millions of Americans are enjoying bonuses and higher pay.

Democrats have spent years trying to "Raise the Wage" for workers in entry-level and part-time jobs, to no avail. Their approach was all wrong. Though they successfully installed minimum wage hikes in blue locals, the exact population they sought to help experienced layoffs, hour cuts, and even store closures as a result of the mandated wage increases (we've cataloged this ongoing story extensively). Thanks to recent changes in tax laws, Starbucks employees will finally get the wage bumps Democrats have spent years trying to deliver.

Just before Christmas, President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that has set America's economy on a trajectory to prosperity and put wealth back in the hands of its citizens. The new rules also substantially reduced the country's corporate tax rate to 21 percent, down from a fairly hefty 35 percent. Now, a pair of California Grinches are offering a bill that would ultimately divert some of the federal savings back into Sacramento coffers.

The progressive city of Seattle has enacted a new tax on sugary drinks. This is normally called a soda tax, but in Seattle it also applies to beverages like Gatorade. The tax is so severe, that it almost doubles the cost of products.

What the heck was wrong with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday? I planned to write up one set of comments, but I'm glad I didn't because another set of comments came up today that received criticism from her #2 in the House. These comments included slamming the companies that have used their savings from the tax reform bill to give raises and bonuses to their employees. Then she criticized the fact that five white guys have started to work on a DACA bill and asked if they wanted to open a hamburger stand, which Minority Steny Hoyer (D-MD) called offensive.