Hey Senators Jennings & Smith: The PEOPLE of Oregon Voted to Tax the Rich & Corporations

As our stubborn Senate and House leaders in the New Mexico Legislature continue to push for regressive gross receipts, food and "sin" taxes, giving Republicans the perfect issue to run on in November, the PEOPLE of Oregon voted for progressive taxes. That's what happens when the people -- and not the monied interests -- are in charge of creating solutions to state budget shortfalls. Read all about how a coalition of unions and other forces of the people joined together to pass a referendum to tax the wealthy and corporations in Oregon.

Faced with yet more blood-letting of public services, Oregon voters chose a different treatment: Tax those most able to pay.

Too bad we have Democratic "leaders" like Sen. John Arthur Smith and Sen. Tim Jennings in the New Mexico Legislature. They've been pushing some truly awful bills that tax the working and middle classes to protect monied interests. I'll cite a couple of bills they sponsored during the regular session, just to give you a taste of what they're all about. Remember, these two Senators are always holding forth about how they only want to be fair and spread the tax burden around to cover the budget deficit caused by the "recession." Unfortunately, all of their tax proposals involve taking more money out of the pockets of ordinary New Mexicans and sparing the wealthy and corporations.

For example, check out Sen. John Arthur Smith's SB 236, which would reinstate the food tax by July 1, 2013 in 25% increments each fiscal year.

Or how about Sen. Tim Jennings' SB 261, which is basically a tax on charitable hospitals. This bill would cap the gross receipts tax exemption on nonprofits that have more than $10 million in commercial transactions. However, it would only really capture charitable hospitals. It's interesting that he would champion a bill to tax charitable hospitals, while opposing a measure like SB 90 (Combined Reporting), which would make big-box corporations pay New Mexico taxes just like our small businesses do.

These two Dems and some others like to talk a good game about "spreading the pain" to solve our budget crisis, but they do nothing but target those who are already suffering the most economically. Again I ask, are these Senators real Democrats? Again I ask, why are real Democrats apparently willing to bow down to the Senate and House leaders -- and a Democratic Governor -- who are pushing anti-Democratic, anti-progressive tax measures? Time to speak truth to power or give up your seats, folks.

This is how you speak truth to power -- including the GOP Party of No lawmakers and their DINO allies:

Read about it

Come on Democratic lawmakers -- Be Bold!