State Income Tax..

Submitted by Bill Crosier on February 8, 2006 - 8:55pm. ::

To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.

WHEREAS, the State of Texas has failed for a number of years to raise enough money to fund adequately infrastructure expansion and renewal, education, health care, mental rehabilitation, or other social service programs; and

WHEREAS, revenues generated from local property taxes have proven to be an unfair and often times inadequate means of providing needed funds for the above stated programs because property values correlate poorly with the needs of those who live in a tax jurisdiction; and

WHEREAS, the current sales tax is not a progressive tax and is grossly unfair to people with low incomes because they pay a greater proportion of their incomes for taxable items than those with higher incomes; and

WHEREAS, Texas already collects a franchise tax from some businesses, which is a progressive tax, but never exceeds 1% of qualified revenue; and

WHEREAS, Article 8, Sec. 24, of the Texas Constitution establishes that any state income tax must be used to reduce local school district property taxes and that the remaining revenue be used for support of education; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Legislature of the State of Texas should enact laws to reduce or eliminate the state sales tax with provisions to assure revenue, perhaps through alternate tax systems, for those local jurisdictions which now levy funds through the state sales tax system; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Legislature of the State of Texas should place a referendum on the statewide ballot within the next biennium to allow voter approval of the following:

* amendment of the state constitution for use of funds generated from a state income tax for services and infrastructure projects, as well as property-tax relief and education

* a referendum establishing a state income tax covering natural persons and business entities and that such tax have a progressive tax rate.

Original resolution, entitled "New State Revenue Source", by Cathy Tarte and Bobby Caldwell, Feb. 12, 2006.
This version revised Feb. 2008 by C. Crosier


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