NC News-Record: AFP’s Tax Pledges

As it appeared in the News-Record:

AFP’s Tax Pledges

Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group that generally pushes for lower taxes and less government spending, has asked candidates to sign a series of seven “pledges” that they would adhere to should they get elected. Candidates were free to sign all or just some of the pledges.

Most of the seven pledges would be to do things that Republicans in both the House and Senate have been pushing for several years, such as lifting the 100-school limit on the number of charter schools allowed in the state and putting a constitutional amendment to the voters that would restrict the use of government power to take land.

Interesting to me is the wording of the pledge on taxes which says, “Oppose and vote against any increases in statewide tax rates.” (Bold is mine.) Many lawmakers avoid the no tax increase pledges because it keeps them from backing local initiatives on hotel taxes in such. This seems drawn to avoid those parochial conflicts. Although, anyone sticking to this pledge would have to vote against keeping any part of the temporary sales tax increase and income tax surcharges now on the books.

You can read the seven pledges and check on your local candidates yourself at AFP’s web page (click here).

The results have been pretty predictable, with most Republican candidates signing all seven or most of the seven and most Democrats listed as not returning the survey.

Of local note, Democrat Marcus Brandon running for the state House seat now occupied by Rep. Earl Jones did return the survey (click here) and signed three of the four pledges, including the charter schools and property rights pledges. He also pledged to oppose public financing for political campaigns.

On public financing, one might interpret that as not only opposing new expansions of the program but also tearing it out of council of state and appellate-level judicial races where it exists now.

Also of local note: the AFP list as of Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. does not include a listing for Bruce Davis, the unaffiliated but on-the-ballot candidate in the state Senate 28 races.