Lawmakers say more taxes may be only choice

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

COOPER

State Rep. Shelby Rhinehart said since this is the last year for him to participate in budget decisions, he is looking forward to representing the people in what has already been a controversial year.

Different proposals – a so-called “no new taxes” budget that some have said would cripple state services, an increase of the sales tax, or an income tax – have been debated over the past several years. Rhinehart said he’s ready for budget battles again this year.

He indicated he wasn’t ready to commit to any one idea just yet, but aims to take a look at the state’s needs. Cuts or additional taxes are all up in the air, he indicated Friday.

“I don’t think anybody wants additional taxes, but if it has to be, we’ll have to have additional taxes,” Rhinehart said. “We’re there to serve the people and if it calls for additional taxes, we’ll have to do that, but we’re hopeful we can get by with very little, if any, additional taxes.”

Sen. Jerry Cooper said he foresees some type of budgeting that addresses new revenues in order to address areas such as education, state parks, the locally proposed Woodbury highway, local governments or additional space at Motlow College.

“I’m for funding the budget and the reason is because if we don’t fund the budget, the people who get hurt the worst are in the rural areas,” said Cooper. “Whatever solution I can get 17 votes in the Senate for, we’ll do it.”

“I don’t care if you’re a county commissioner, aldermen or state legislator, nobody wants to increase taxes. But at the same time, we expect things like education, quality of life, health care, state parks to be there for us to have a better quality of life than possibly our parents did.”

Cooper said an estimated $350 million budget shortfall currently exists and noted he has sponsored efforts to combine state-level departments to increase effectiveness.

“The people who are saying the legislature is not trying to cut are totally false. That’s what I’ve been doing and am still trying to do.”

Additionally, he said he foresees some type of revenue to address the problems to keep things going after all the debate.

“There’s going to have to be some type of increase in revenue, and the reason is because of services people expect. No. 2, if we don’t increase state taxes, then it’s going to be back to the local level. Our county commission or our city would have to increase property taxes. It’s like dominoes,” Cooper said.