Sonny Don't

Great story in the AJC today about Gov. Perdue's plan to eliminate the state income tax for retirees.

He's got a commercial starring a nice old couple. The lady, Morene Whitworth of Conyers, says "We're living on a fixed income and could use some help."

Turns out, the AJC sez, that Whitworth and her husband are both retired state employees. Between them they are pulling down $95,000 a year in pensions. Plus the old lady still does contract work for the state -- in Perdue's office -- to the tune of another $12,000. So they gross at least $107,000 a year.

The article also points out that there's already a law phasing in that exempts the first $35,000 of retiree income from the state income tax.

It takes a lot of gall for Ms. Whitworth to look into a camera and say she needs "some help." What she really means is, I want you to pay my share of state income taxes from now on. It takes even more gall for Gov. Perdue to propose this blatant vote-bribe.

Then again this is the same guy who, when asked on a radio show about how you get a last-minute bill passed that helps net you $100k on real estate maneuvers, as Perdue did, responded: "You get elected governor."

bowser's blog | login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Next Sonny Commercial
Voice of Fayette Future's picture
Submitted by Voice of Fayett... on Fri, 10/06/2006 - 8:57am.

That is hilarious....Two retirees knocking down 10 large ones a month asking for a hand-out. Wonder what the heck services Grandma provides Sonny-Do at the Capitol that justifies another grand a month.

Here's the next Sonny Commercial:

Virgil, Tate, Mitch, Mutt and Jim--- sitting in rocking chairs on the porch of the Villanow Country Store, with coveralls, straw hats and corn cob pipes---- "WE COULD USE A LITTLE HELP !!! ?


login to post comments
$100,000 per year?
mudcat's picture
Submitted by mudcat on Thu, 10/05/2006 - 7:40pm.

How in the world could anyone get by on only $100k per year? Especially in retirement. Those cruises to Alaska run about $5k, the Lexus is even more.

Please don't knock the poor retired people until you have walked a mile in their shoes. No, the Gucci pumps are not that comfortable, so just do 100 yards.
meow


login to post comments
100K
Submitted by OldSchoolFootball on Thu, 10/05/2006 - 7:55pm.

100K is not a lot of money....what's the problem?

login to post comments
Bad example
slider's picture
Submitted by slider on Fri, 10/06/2006 - 10:22am.

OK so Sonny used a POOR example of retirees that could use a tax break, There are still Plenty that could truely use the break!
I know one very large burden on retirees is Property tax. We have elderly people here in the county that bought property years ago . This property is now worth so much that they can barely afford to keep it. There are many other examples of how the elderly could use a break as well. I for one think these people need a break.Not all of them , but there are some that a tax break could mean a Huge difference in thier standard of living.
OK so the rich will get a break as well. This is nothing new. Do you think people with big money refuse social security payments? No. This little bit of money means nothing to the very well off, but I dont know any that say"no thanks , give it to someone that needs it more."


login to post comments
Some really cold, hard truth
Submitted by swmbo on Fri, 10/06/2006 - 9:13pm.

Property taxes are just part of the cost of homeownership. It is what we pay for the schools we have (that attract new residents to our county), for the government services we get on our property (clean water and sewer among the most important) and the protection of the value of your home investment (higher taxes keep out the riff raff). Why should anyone (other than a combat veteran) get out of that responsibility? I have student loans; wouldn't it be easier if I didn't have to pay property taxes? Sure it would. I don't even have kids in the school system for which I am paying but I am not whining about my responsibility. It is the cost of living where I chose to live.

If the house is so valuable as to be a tax burden, sell it and move into one with lower property taxes that doesn't cost as much to own. If you don't want to pay any property taxes, sell your property and rent your living space. But please come up with a better justification for giving someone a break from property taxes than they could use a break. That selfish refrain does not reflect well on "the greatest generation".

-------------------------------
If you and I are always in agreement, one of us is likely armed and dangerous.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.