2009 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Tax Reform

Rick Perry: Give taxes dose of accountability, transparency & restraint

Will they find their property taxes spiraling continually upwards because of a broken appraisal system? I say we give that system a dose of accountability, transparency and restraint.

Tim Kaine: Replace income tax for low-income with cigarette tax

However, I do propose one targeted tax increase. To avoid even deeper cuts that would mean denying health care services to some of our poor, elderly, and disabled, I propose a 30 cent per pack increase in our cigarette tax. This will bring Virginia's tobacco tax up to about half the national average. Virginia's current cigarette excise tax covers less than half the $400 million in Medicaid costs that smoking creates. I believe that the taxes on smoking should more closely match the budget costs that taxpayers incur because of smoking. Under my proposal, fewer of Virginians' tax dollars will be diverted to cover the costs of smoking.

David Paterson: Property taxes are too high; cap them

Deval Patrick: Let municipalities raise property, meals, and lodging taxes

In that spirit, we will again propose a series of measures that give cities and towns greater authority over local decisions. That includes raising new revenue through a modest meals and lodging tax, eliminating the outdated exemption the phone company enjoys from paying the same local property taxes everyone else has to pay, and encouraging as much regionalization of local services as practical. If we cannot provide direct aid, let's at least untie the hands of local communities to capture the savings and raise the revenue within their reach. Let's enact a municipal reform package this spring.