With new leadership in Virginia sworn in this month a flurry of legislation by Virginia’s legislative leadership has turned heads for the sheer volume of progressive wishlist items introduced.
Some of the highlights:
- Banning gas powered leaf blowers (link)
- A new personal property tax on electric leaf blowers (which you now have to use because the gas powered leaf blowers were banned) (link)
- A new 3.8% “net investment income tax” on top of the existing state income tax, effectively taxing Virginians twice on the same income (link)
- Two new higher income tax brackets of 8% and 10%, by Virginia House Finance Chair Del. Vivian Watts (link)
- A brand new tax on every single online retail delivery, such as an Amazon order (link)
The contrast is stark between Progressive leadership in Virginia upon gaining control of state government compared to the sensible, forward-thinking reforms by Conservative leaders in North Carolina upon taking control of the North Carolina legislature.
In 2011 North Carolina leaders inherited high taxes and $2.5 billion in debt. They did the right thing – paid off the debt and began the process of lowering tax burdens on every North Carolinian, while saving money.
The forward-thinking conservative approach in North Carolina brought state income taxes down from a high of 7.75% to a new, flat 3.99%.
And they did it all while still letting North Carolinians use gas powered leaf blowers.
