December 21, 2005

Sen. Henry to Taxpayers: Shut Up

The Associated Press has taken note of news first reported on blogs - a proposal by state Sen. Doug Henry and the Tennessee Association on Intergovernmental Relations to strip Tennessee citizens of their longstanding right to vote on local and county sales tax increases. The AP reports...

An organization of government officials wants changes in state law to make it easier for Tennessee cities and counties to impose or raise taxes, but some state lawmakers and lobbyist groups are opposed. A majority of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations recommended eliminating the current requirement that increases in city or county sales taxes be approved by local voters in a referendum.

The proposal from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Douglas Henry, D-Nashville, received wide support from city and county officials who are members of TACIR. The group also recommended allowing cities and counties to impose taxes on development and real estate transfers by simple majority vote of county commissions and city councils.

... Henry's proposal to eliminate the present requirement for voter approval of a local sales tax increase prompted less debate. "County commissions and city councils have long been entrusted with setting the property tax rates," Henry said. "I see no reason why they should not be entrusted with the same authority with regard to the local sales tax." Ben Cunningham, a founder of Tennessee Tax Revolt, said the proposal is "a terrible, awful idea because it takes away from citizens a direct say in the process" through a referendum.

I no longer live in his district, though I once did and once voted for Sen. Henry. I wouldn't vote for him again and entrust him with another four years in the state Senate, making decisions that affect the pocketbooks of the very Tennesseans who he clearly wishes to disenfranchise on the issue of local sales and wheel tax increases.