Please vote FOR HB 387 - the Tax Reform Bill

THANK YOU Senator William Ligon for QUICKLY posting the latest version of the Tax Reform Bill passed by the Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure. And thank you for requesting feedback and giving instructions on how to do it more effectively.

I just read the entire 68 page bill (my eyes only glazed over occasionally). 

I hope you will vote for it either AS IS or with corporate tax rate breaks added (not specific business exemptions but general rates that apply to all corporations) Please don't let them pick it apart and add back any additional special favors.

It seems to keep intact many key points of the commission to seek a broader flatter consumption based tax.

Lowering the income tax ceiling to 4.5% is a baby step but it IS much simpler and that alone is progress.

Fine with me if we remove or reduce the dependent's exemptions but I wonder a little how/why this one was singled out.

It's also ok with me if charitable deductions are limited/eliminated. First of all the benefit / purpose of deductions is not logically simply for tax deductions. Second, the greatest value of those deductions is at the federal level.

If I have to choose between a lower income tax rate or keeping a minimally valuable deduction against a HIGHER income tax rate... duh, I'll take the lower rate.

I do see LOTS of sales tax exemptions (several pages worth) eliminated and that is also progress.

I see new sales taxes on used car sales and auto related services. Why were those targeted?

Since I purchase ONLY used vehicles and generally in private sales, I don't like the sales tax but I do not oppose it. 

I only ask why target automobiles? why not tax more services?

Why not sales taxes on ALL services? It would be detrimental to me in the short run but I think it would be fairer to tax all goods and services. It would remove price distortions.

Currently none of my recurring expenditures are taxed: hairdresser, fitness center, doctors, vets, groceries.

How is that fair? I benefit from being at a stage and age where I don't need a lot of clothes, appliances, or "store bought" tangible items. Seems unfair to younger people that their goods are taxed but my services are not.

I read the press - I know there was lots of whining that a recession is not the time to "raise" taxes on services and groceries (even as part of a revenue neutral restructuring).

I also know many people those interests were trying to protect already receive extensive government subsidies and tax benefits.

Obviously those of us who favor a Fair Tax approach to replace ALL income taxes with consistent broad (and as low as possible) sales taxes didn't sell it well enough.

Two things about the bill miss the mark in my opinion:

 There's something wrong with the elimination of some and institution of other communication taxes when it takes approx TWENTY pages to spell out the so called simplification (most of pages 37-59)

And I do not see the key provision of lowering or eliminating corporate income taxes. I'd think abolishing / lowering corporate income taxes is more important to our competitiveness than "simplifying the communications" taxes.