HALT:HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com
Series Part 1 :State Income Tax stifles Arkansas
Economist Art Laffer testified in favor of Missouri HJR 56/ SJR 29. Laffer explains his research supporting the elimination of State Income Tax and discusses the harmful effects of Missouri’s income tax. To achieve the most economic growth and job creation, Missouri should eliminate its state income tax and move to a sales tax. Missouri should pursue a tax structure that does the least amount of harm while collecting the revenues we need. Replacing Missouri’s income tax with a sales tax will accomplish that aim.
Pat Lynch in his weekly column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Legislative Overview, Jan 17, 2011), tells the new Republicans that they should be cautious. He went on to note, “We should all be hoping that, when zealous newcomers decide to cut taxes, they also propose corresponding cuts in spending.”
That sounds reasonable at first, but have you ever considered the possibility that there is a lot of fat in the State government? Maybe the Republicans should be radical and cut taxes a lot and cut spending even more. These “zealous newcomers” Pat Lynch is talking about are almost all Republicans. I believe that our government collects taxes in such a way that stifles growth compared to other states around us like Texas and Tennessee.
The number one way we stifle our economy is through the state income tax. Take a look below at our income tax rate compared to other states. It is a sad picture.(Below are the top tax brackets for the top earners.)
- Alabama: 5% on income over $3,000
- Alaska: No income tax
- Arizona: 4.54% on income over $150,000
- Arkansas: 7% on income over $32,600
- California:10.55% on income over $1 million
- Colorado: flat 4.63% of federal taxable income
- Connecticut: 6.5% on income over $500,000
- District of Columbia: 8.5% on income over $40,000
- Delaware: 6.95% on income over $60,000
- Florida: No income tax
- Georgia: 6% on income over $7,000
- Hawaii: 11% on income over $200,000
- Idaho: 7.8% on income over $26,418
- Illinois: flat 3% of federal AGI with modifications
- Indiana: flat 3.4% of federal AGI with modifications
- Iowa: 8.98% on income over $63,315
- Kansas: 6.45% on income over $30,000
- Kentucky: 6% on income over $75,000
- Louisiana: 6% on income over $50,000
- Maine: 8.5% on income over $20,150
- Maryland: 6.25% on income over $1 millio
- Massachusetts: flat 5.3% on all income
- Michigan: flat 4.35% of federal AGI with modifications
- Minnesota: 7.85% on income over $74,780
- Mississippi: 5% on income over $10,000
- Missouri: 6% on income over $9,000
- Montana: 6.9% on income over $15,400
- Nebraska: 6.84% on income over $27,000
- Nevada: no income tax
- New Hampshire: 5% on interest and dividend income. Wages are not taxed.
- New Jersey: 8.97% on income over $500,000
- New Mexico: 4.9% on income over $16,000
- New York: 8.97% on income over $500,000
- North Carolina: 7.75% on income over $60,000
- North Dakota: 4.86% on income over $373,650
- Ohio: 5.925% on income over $200,000
- Oklahoma: 5.5% on income over $8,700
- Oregon: 11% on income over $250,000
- Pennsylvania: flat 3.07% on all income
- Rhode Island: 9.9% on income over $373,650
- South Carolina: 7% on income over $13,700
- South Dakota: no income tax
- Tennessee: 6% on interest and dividend income. Wages are not taxed.
- Texas: no income tax
- Utah: flat 5% on all income
- Vermont: 8.95% on income over $373,650
- Virginia: 5.75% on income over $17,000
- Washington: no income tax
- West Virginia: 6.5% on income over $60,000
- Wisconsin: 7.75% on income over $225,000
- Wyoming: no income tax
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Today I have a profile from Ballotpedia of St lawmaker Robert Dale.
Robert Dale
From Ballotpedia
| Robert Dale | |
 |
|
| Arkansas House of Representatives District 70 | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2009 |
|
| Current term ends 2010 |
|
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Banker |
| Website | House site |
Contents[hide] |
Robert Dale is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing the 70th District since 2009.
Issue positions
Dale did not provide answers to the Arkansas State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test. The test provides voters with how a candidate would vote on the issues if elected.[1]
Committee assignments
- Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee, Arkansas House
- Education Committee, Arkansas House
- Subcommittee on K-12, Vocational-Technical Institutions (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Small Business and Economic Development
Sponsored legislation
Dale’s sponsored legislation includes:
For a full listing of sponsored bills, see the House site.
Elections
2010
Dale won re-election to the 70th district seat in 2010. He faced no opposition.[2]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Dale won election to the 70th District Seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives, defeating opponents J. Patrick Bewley (D), Jeff Hall (Ind), and Marjorie LeClair (Ind).[3]
The Daily Hatch 