Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Those damn Tax raising Republicans
So much for less spending and small government.
Does the Republican party have a base?
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When Virginia's legislature voted last month to raise taxes by $1.5 billion to fund spending on education, roads and other needs, Republicans who see tax cutting as the party's binding issue were dismayed. The tax hike had been approved by a Republican-controlled legislature with a tradition of fiscal conservatism. More remarkable: It was $360 million more than Democratic Gov. Mark Warner had requested.
Virginia reflects a nationwide trend. The Republican Party, long the champion of less government and low taxes, has backed large boosts in spending and taxes in many states where the GOP controls the legislature, the governor's mansion or both. On average, the largest spending increases from 1997 through 2002 occurred in states where Republicans controlled both branches, according to a 2003 analysis by USA TODAY.
The trend appears broad enough to ask whether the country's two-decade entrancement with tax cuts may be easing.
So much for less spending and small government.
Does the Republican party have a base?
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