One of the most prominent fiscal conservative groups in the nation is getting active in the Sunshine State, praising Gov. Rick Scott’s policies while congressional candidates sign its pledge not to raise taxes.
Gov. Rick Scott got a little help from Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), founded and led by prominent activist Grover Norquist, which showcased new data from the IRS on Tuesday.
ATR highlighted an IRS report showing Florida had 74,000 new residents bringing in more than $8.3 billion in adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2013. More than 9,800 New Yorkers headed to Florida in 2013 while more than 6,000 moved from New Jersey and more than 4,400 from Pennsylvania.
“Between 1985 and 2013, nearly 1.8 million new residents brought with them more than $116.36 billion in annual AGI," ATR noted in a release. “Taxes likely have played a large role in this mass migration to the Sunshine State. Florida is one of nine states that do not tax earned income, and one of only seven that do not tax any form of personal income. On top of that, Republican Governor Rick Scott has worked with the Republican Legislature to provide an additional $2.6 billion in tax relief since taking office in 2011.
“Not only has the Florida Legislature worked with Gov. Scott to aggressively reducing the tax burden in Florida, Scott has worked to poach businesses like General Electric and Hertz from other high-tax states like Connecticut and New Jersey,” ATR added. “Hertz, which relocated their world headquarters to Florida in 2013, planned to bring 700 jobs paying an average of $102,000 to Florida that year, data that will be reflected in the 2014 tax filings.”
ATR also praised Scott for lowering the corporate tax exemption, lowering cellphone and TV service taxes, ending college textbook taxes and backing a 10-day back-to-school sales tax holiday.
In the meantime, ATR has been making inroads getting congressional candidates to back its pledge not to raise taxes. Running in the open Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in Congress, former New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer announced on Monday he had signed the pledge.
"I, Adam Barringer, pledge to the taxpayers of the state of Florida, and to the American people that I will: one, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and, two, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates,” Barringer pledged.
"As a small-business owner and former mayor, I know that lower taxes will lead to more prosperity," Barringer said on Monday.
Also on Monday, Tallahassee attorney Mary Thomas, running for the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., next year, showcased her support for ATR’s “Tax Payer Protection Pledge.”
Thomas noted on Monday she supported reforming the tax code, either with a flat tax or the Fair Tax proposal backed by former U.S. Rep. John Linder, R-Ga.
“Over the last four years, while I served as one of Governor Rick Scott's top attorneys, our administration cut taxes for businesses and families in Florida. Washington, D.C., could take a few lessons from what we've done here in Florida,” Thomas emailed supporters on Monday.
“Here's my plan: let's adopt a flat tax system or the FairTax; let's lower the tax rate for everyone to no more than 15 percent; let's eliminate the Death Tax; let's eliminate capital gains taxes; and let's bring American corporations back to our soil from overseas, without penalty. Most importantly, let's eliminate the IRS and transfer the duties of this duplicative and rogue agency to the Department of Commerce. Let's also fire and prosecute all those responsible for using the IRS as a weapon against President Obama's political enemies.”
Fifteen Republicans representing Florida in the U.S. House and more than 15 other Republican congressional candidates in the Sunshine State signed the pledge during the 2014 election cycle. Besides Thomas and Barringer, Republican candidates Paul Spain and Brian Mast, both running for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., have signed the pledge.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
