Arkansas Blog

Sounds like hard working folks to me. I'm glad this item turned up, I didn't know a thing about them. I think Petrus had a dealership in Fort Smith for a while.

I totally disagree with him on the grocery tax deal. His idea works like those fantastic rebates ya get after buying some high dollar item. The ones that you fill out and mail off. The seller knows half the people will forget to mail it back in and at least half of the ones that do will forget if they never get their rebate back.

A lot of poor people pay no taxes, they pay no taxes because they don't make squat. Those people will feel no relief with Petrus's plan. Anyone promoting this tax deal instead of dropping sales tax on groceries is a slimy Indian-giver trying to pull a fast one.

If Jesus could talk he'd say he's for doubling the tax on big flat screen TVs and removing the tax from things we HAVE to have like groceries, medicine and things like coffins. Everyone has to eat, no one wants to be sick and no one wants to die.

The generous offer made at election time to take the tax off groceries should be remembered like the Alamo. His first week in office Governor Huckabuck promised to remove the tax on groceries and we know how well that worked out for the average Piggly Wiggly shopper.

Outside of seeing Bush & Cheney swinging like old Saddam, I think the next order of business in 2007 is to make sure the promise of tax-free groceries becomes a reality in Arkansas. They were the ones that tossed it on the table in order to get elected, now is the time to hold their feet to the fire until they do what they promised.

No watering down, no every 4th one with red hair gets tax relief.....they promised across the board.....so let's have it!

DBI, you like others, don't
seem to understand what a
tax rebate is. You don't have
to pay any income tax to get a
rebate. Do I need to repeat
that a thousand times?

The fact is that you will
benefit from eliminating the
sales tax on food. Many poor
people will not since food
stamp purchases are not
taxed to begin with.

If your income range is between $0 and $3,399, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 1%.
If your income range is between $3,400 and $6,799, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 2.5%.
If your income range is between $6,800 and $10,299, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 3.5%.
If your income range is between $10,300 and $17,099, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4.5%.
If your income range is between $18,100 and $28,499, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 6%.
If your income range is $28,500 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 7%.

You would only have to earn
about 2 to 3 thousand dollars
a year to pay more in income
taxes than grocery taxes.
AND if you make that little, you
should be getting food stamps.

Those are the facts. Don't let
the fact that Petrus is supporting
the right thing get in the way.

But B&B, I believe the lowest levels don't do things like file their taxes or usually even have an address they keep long enough to do any good. The hand to mouth people I am talking about probably won't be tracked down to receive any rebates.

We're doing OK now, but there was a time I took 10 bucks to the store trying to buy enough to make a meal for 4 and often I'd goof up and because of the sales tax have to put back something we really needed.

Why, in your opinion, is it better to give tax rebates than it is cut the grocery tax? Why must government paperwork be involved when removing the tax offers instant savings to the poor folks? I am certainly willing to listen.

DBI, cut the tax on groceries, you're reducing state income by about $250 mil, and giving tax relief to our wealthiest citizens and out of state visitors.

Imagine some poor person supporting a family on $20k a year. Maybe they spend $200 week on food. $2400/year, that would be about $144/year in state sales tax on those food purchases. Wouldn't it do more good to help this family with an earned income tax credit in the amount of maybe $500? By targeting the relief to the folks who really need it, rather than across-the-board to everyone, we can do more good for the same or less money.

Come on, B&B, Social Security recipients do not pay taxes on that income (except on the federal level if they have additional income above a certain amount).
So tell a widowed neighbor (who elected to take Social Security at 62 so she could afford to buy her ailing husband's prescriptions) that she must continue to pay sales taxes on food. She gets less than $700 a month now.
Would you tell her to file for a rebate? And just how much would it cost to get that tax form filled out? Oops, rebate gone.
So do you want to tell her to get food stamps? Hint: don't do it this spring when she's in the garden. She might mistake you for a weed and she keeps that hoe sharp.
And allow me to preach just a little bit: I'd be willing to bet that she's in better physical shape than her grandchildren and great grandchild whose diets consist largely of chips, cookies and diet Cokes, with a frozen pizza thrown in occasionally, paid for with food stamps. I propose -- futilely, I know -- that we remove the sales tax from real food and tax the junk food at a doubled rate. I further propose that food stamps recipients not be allowed to buy junk food with their allotment.
I warned you -- preachy, and yes, I know, tain't gonna happen.

I have had a mini-debate with myself today as to whether or nor I should comment on this or not. I will say I understand both arguments on the subject, however I know from experience, having grown up and lived in the Delta a large portion of my adult life that the people who need the help the most will not avail themselves of any kind of rebate or tax credit simply because they are afraid of the government and any plan associated with it. They will think of it as a way to trap them in some way. They just will not get their monry back.

I don't think it's any secret what I think of Petrus' performance as a legislator. As I've said before I've known him since he was 15-16 years old and you can be assured he is not making this proposal for any altruistic reason. He has not one altrustic bone in his body. It's always all about Benny. He is making this move for one of two (or both) reasons.

1. He is trying to flex a little muscle to try to embarrass Beebe and say look at what a leader I am.

2. He has his eye on higher political office. This is a resume builder as well as a credibility builder.

He is doing the marginally right thing for all the wrong reasons and therefore his proposal if not worthy of any support from anyone who cares about the plight of the hungry poor people of this state.

I read in today's DG that Critcher said, and I quote:
"I don't care about education."

Comments?

Is the internet slow tonight or is it just my server?

Lots of squirming going on already....if a tax rebate was such a golden idea, why were voters baited with a promise of the removal of sales tax on groceries?

If I promise you a blowjob and then give you a ham sandwich....be truthful...wouldn't you feel cheated? I know plenty of millionaires over 65 who slap that SS check in the bank with great pride. No one's going after them to give it back.

I'm in favor of doubling the taxes on junk food and lifting it on milk, meat, veggies and fruit, but if you pull at that thread...we'll be fighting 20 years from now over what is junk food. Clouding the issue until no one gets any kind of relief. I've seen this movie before...I know how it ends.

It's time to turn campaign promises into reality. Not kinda or sorta or Jim Crow-like. My state taxes are sky high, we have a giant surplus...give the poor people a break and when I buy 100 bucks worth of groceries and save 10 bucks in sales taxes I'll push my cart out the door smiling too.

This seems a classic argument.

Rich conservatives who want to either stay that way or get richer oppose any measure that gives free government money to people who can't quite get their shit together. Unfortunately for society, some of those folks are able--just not willing--to change their circumstances. But they're all the same to people like George W. Bush. (For context, think of the dichotomy of dubya and the average victim of Katirna.)

Progressives who understand that not everyone is born with a trust fund (whose natal circumstances don't line them up for worries about the "death tax" ) would like to see some pressure taken off poor people, while the release of said pressure wouldn't be as keenly felt by the rich who might let it go.

Too bad everybody in the world can't be nice as well as responsible.

"Lots of squirming going on already....if a tax rebate was such a golden idea, why were voters baited with a promise of the removal of sales tax on groceries?"

Sorry DBI but that's got to be one of the dumbest questions I've seen asked on this blog. Think about it and you'll agree.

Also I think it's very sad that some would oppose an idea just because a certain person is for it. And we wonder why our country is in the shape it is. I agree with BB, that facts, not emotions or assumptions, should be given the most weight.

Any person that is on social security would get the rebate. How much will those on social security AND food stamps (yep they exist) save if the grocery tax is eliminated?

Hugh it seems to me that most if not all of the posters
above want to give relief to the poor. The problem
is that some don't realize which is the best
way. I really hope people like DBI isn't just thinking
of himself.

You have to wonder though how many people
that support the elimination of the grocery tax
would not benefit from the tax rebate for low
income people only.

I will gain $300 a year if the grocery tax is
eliminated. I would receive no rebate. I still
support the rebate though. With local grocery
taxes, rebates are the ONLY way to give full
relief to those how NEED it.

That should have read:

I really hope people like DBI aren't just thinking
of themselves.

"I read in today's DG that Critcher said, and I quote:
"I don't care about education."

Comments?"

The Critcher's son has been pulled out of school and goes to some version of a home school so that he can be in Little Rock with the folks who take LOTS of trips on the public dole and attend LOTS of events where they are entertained. No wonder he doesn't care...he's looking out for his own...and no worries about everybody else's kids. Interesting that the media hasn't noticed. Wonder how many other legislators are working on education issues and don't even have their own kids in public school...

You must not care much about education,
since you clearly can't read.

It was Seth Blomeley that said: Critcher says
education doesn't interest him.

He was referring to being on the Education
Committee. That was a damn near hatchet job by
Seth. His bias showed through on that article.

I am not thinking only of myself, thank you very much. I am thinking of all the people I see on my nearly daily trip to the grocery store over here on the poor side of Fort Republican.

hugh nailed it....so many of my neighbors came from nothing, received little instructions and no trust funds. They're dumb as dirt because their pappy was dumb as dirt.

They lead hard lives of manual labor, they are the victims of the Payday lenders. They fall for 20 dollar books telling them how to buy a car from the government for 1 dollar. They were born behind the 8 ball and most of them will die there.

If George W. Petrus's plan goes into effect, very few of my neighbors will know about it or receive the bounty. Petrus knows that...the state will be out very little and once again our politicians will look generous without being such. How very Republican of them, huh?

I didn't stand in front of a crowd and promise to remove the taxes on groceries. It's not my fault that Beebe and some others trotted that out as bait for a vote.

If I had been in their position, I would have checked real closely to see if I could deliver on my promise before I made it. If they are in error....that makes them just like Mike Huckabee in his first term.....liars.

How can we spit on Bush for all the promises he made and turned his back on, and yet let Beebe and the others get away with doing the same damn thing? Where is this Democratic revolution we've talked about for 2 years?

Why the sudden folding of the tents boys and girls? Are you Pryor-ing out on me? Do you also have such Republican disgust in your hearts for the poor of Arkansas?

Have I been naive these past few years? Is it all just talk and no action in both political parties? Is it true what Nader said...that there isn't a damn bit of difference between Democrats and Republicans?

If you think I was rough on Huckabee and Bush the last few years.....and this crap keeps up....I promise 4 years of non-stop bitching because these are MY Democrats screwing the pooch!

This talk of rebates is a bunch of BS. They KNOW that the poorest often will not file tax forms. It is a typical plan of those that despise the poor, even while they expect the poor to clean their toilets.

Cut the sales tax on groceries. Nothing else will do the job as intended. If there ends up being a shortfall, figure out a way to get it WITHOUT hurting the poorest of the poor.

rablib what do you do for the poor?

What do you propose for those on food stamps who will not see any tax relief under the cut everyone's tax plan? You want to give everyone including the rich the same tax cut.

If anyone doesn't file a tax return then they are violating the law so that's their problem. I guess you think the poor are too stupid to fill out a simple one page form?

Who said anything about a windfall? Do you dream your crap up? Do you want to not fund education, medicaid, DHS and other services for those in need?

PS. You are advocating the less progressive position in case you are too blind to see that.

DBI do you realize you are saying Petrus would be Republican by giving less money back to taxpayers? Do you realize how stupid that is? Take your bias blinders off for a second.

Who do you think will be hurt when we have to cut social services because we gave the rich and middle income people a tax break they didn't need?