David Williams - Everything but the Kitchen Sink Tax Plan

Some thoughts on David Williams’ tax plan. 

First in Kentucky Republicans can usually be classed in one of two groups.  There is morals police, the group that likes to bash gays, (anti-gay marriage amendment), be against abortion and for the death penalty (I still have a hard time getting my head around that one), and give tax incentives for the Arc Park in northern Kentucky.

Then there are the money Republicans.  This group wants the poor and sometimes middle class to pay all the taxes, but never tax a business, screw the unions and state employees. Generally speaking they are in favor of a feudal society based on money and power.

So let’s translate the Williams tax plan:

The commission would be instructed to eliminate both personal and corporate income taxes that bring in about $3.8 billion a year to the state treasury and to "make Kentucky the best state in the nation to create and retain jobs."

Translation: I’m sucking up to the TEA party.

 “Its work, Williams said, would have to be "revenue neutral," meaning that any tax increase or new taxes would have to be offset equally by a tax decrease.”

Translation: I’m sucking up to the no new tax group and transferring the burden of the taxes from the rich to the poor.  Revenue Neutral does mean taxes go down, it just means someone different pays the tax.

Williams said the commission's plan would be submitted to the legislature without any changes, "to keep the lobbyists and special interests from diluting the bill."

Translation: God forbid the people or their representatives have a voice in how they are taxed.

He also proposed the immediate suspensions of some taxes to help Kentucky's economy. They include:

■ The sales tax on all construction-related purchases by businesses.

■ All taxes on energy used in manufacturing, processing, production, and transportation and distribution businesses.

■ The tax on hay and feed to provide relief to the horse industry.

■ The state's portion of the car tax.

■ The "barrel tax" on the bourbon industry.

Translation: More profits for the businesses involved.  Do you really see all of the businesses involved passing on the tax savings to the customer?

To reduce what Williams called "the negative impact that large government bureaucracies can have on job creation," his plan calls for a moratorium on new administrative regulations except for emergencies, a sunset provision for all regulations subject to legislative review, and a provision to make sure no new regulation was more stringent than federal regulation unless the legislature approved otherwise.

Translation: I’ll say anything to get elected.  Candidate Williams might make this promise but a as Governor Williams will have “no clear recollection of the statement”.  No Governor is going to willingly give up that much power.

Williams also said he would "lead the fight" against health care changes backed by President Barack Obama by ordering the state government to file litigation against them.

Translation:  A lot of Kentuckians hate the President, I’ll run against him.

Other parts of Williams' plan call for:

■ Protecting Kentucky coal from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

Translation: I’ll kiss up to the coal industry.  Williams will have to go a long way to beat Steve Beshear in kissing up to the coal barons.

■ Repealing the state's moratorium on nuclear power.

Translation: I’m too stupid to remember recent history.  He probably wants to build Japanese style power plants on the New Madrid fault.

■ Creating a "Kentucky Jobs" venture capital fund similar to a program in Ohio in which expert venture capitalists invest in businesses that have a good shot at creating jobs.

Translation: We are going to borrow more money so our kids will be deeper in debt and trust “expert venture capitalists”.

■ Setting up a jobs initiative program similar to one in Georgia for workers receiving jobless benefits.

Translation: Williams agrees with President Obama.  Read more here.

■ Promoting agricultural products in the state and opposing federal "overregulation" of Kentucky farms.

Translation: Collective buzz words.  Could someone, maybe the current Agriculture Commissioner, actually where we are overregulated?  

■ Modifying the state's unemployment insurance system by indexing the benefit structure to an average of the surrounding states, or decreasing unemployment insurance benefits.

Translation: Screw the workers.

■ Placing new state workers into a 401(k)-style system to sustain the state's public pension system.

Translation: Screw the state employees.

Teachers' pensions would not change, Williams said.

Translation: I’m not taking on the teacher’s union they are not a bunch of wimps like state employees.

One final question:  If he really wants to do these things why didn’t the President of the Senate spend the last 10 years working on these items?