Mike Huckabee's Tax Hikes
Tax Burden Sky-Rocketed under Huckabee
Washington – The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ran an article today confirming what the Club for Growth PAC has been saying for months now: Mike Huckabee is a tax-hiker plain and simple.
According to the Democrat-Gazette, “the average Arkansan’s tax burden grew from $1,969 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1997, to $2,902 in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2005, including local taxes,” a whopping tax increase of 47% under Huckabee’s tenure. Tax legislation passed while Huckabee was governor totaled “a net tax increase of $505 million, a figure adjusted for inflation and economic growth,” according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
Huckabee likes to wave away criticisms of his economic record by saying he cut taxes 90 times, but the same Democrat-Gazette article points out that the so-called 90 tax cuts included one medium tax cut ($90 million) and 89 tiny cuts. Clearly, Huckabee’s tax increases far outstripped any of his tax cuts, reaching a net tax increase of $505 million. Some of these include:
- Higher sales taxes (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/07/96)
- Higher gas taxes (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 06/29/99)
- Higher grocery taxes (Associated Press, 09/11/02; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/17/02)
- Higher taxes on nursing home beds (Associated Press, 06/25/01)
“In past debates, Huckabee has dismissed criticisms of his tax record with superficial answers and half-truths,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Hopefully, tonight’s moderators will not let Huckabee off the hook so easily. Voters across America have a right to know the truth about Mike Huckabee’s tax-hiking record.”
PAID FOR BY CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. 202-955-5500.
