Governor Kasich Talks With Local 12 About Income Tax Cut Proposal
Posted April 06, 2012 in Press Releases
Ohio's governor tackles another controversy... and talks about it one on one with Local 12 News. John Kasich is calling for a huge income tax cut which even has some of his fellow Republicans grumbling.
The governor was in town today to help a local company Dunnhumby USA formally announce plans to build a new office building and add jobs downtown. Local 12 News Reporter Jeff Hirsh spoke with the governor about his tax cut proposal.
The governor is no stranger to taking heat. "I haven't changed. I've been the same way all of my life. It's the way I was raised. I think people have had it with wishy-washy politicians."
But Kasich said Ohio's economy has gotten a lot better since he took office and said the tax cut proposal will help even more in the future. Kasich told workers at Dunnhumby USA that when he took office, the state was facing financial disaster. But in the past 14 months, Kasich said the state's credit rating has stabilized, he's balanced the budget, cut taxes, and created the climate for nearly 100,000 new jobs. "In the month of February, Ohio was the number one job creator in America."
After the speech, Local 12's Jeff Hirsh sat down with the governor to discuss his latest proposal for what could be a one-billion dollar income tax cut. "It would mean families would have more money in their pocket, small business would be helped and most important you would have that money circulating in the state."
Kasich wants to pay for the tax cut with a tax increase on oil and gas companies ... expected to reap huge profits from underground natural gas deposits in the northeastern part of the state. Kasich's previous tax cuts-like ending the estate tax-have been criticized by local governments... even fellow Republicans in places like Springfield Township, who say they've either had to cut services or raise taxes themselves to make up for reductions in state aid. "Why not pass this, or some of it along to local governments to deal with those concerns they have? Well the best thing we can do for local governments and schools is to grow jobs the idea that we want to grow government does not let us sustain the kind of economic growth we want in the future."
The oil and gas tax is a political challenge. Some Republicans oppose tax hikes, period .... and some environmentalists oppose high pressure water drilling called fracking which is used for the new type of natural gas extraction. But Kasich says he'll continue to call them as he sees them. "Look, as people get to know me better some will still say there goes Kasich again. I'm a tell it like it is guy, but sometimes you have to be a dad in this role, you have to be a leader."
Kasich's tax break plan is across the board ...same percentage cut whatever you make. A liberal think tank, Policy Matters Ohio, says that's not fair ... projecting the richest one per cent of Ohioans could get $2300 a year ... while the average middle income taxpayer would get $42 ..some time in the future if and when the oil and gas revenue comes in. But Kasich says across the board is fair ... you pay more, you get more -and to suggest otherwise is to sound like class warfare.
Governor Kasich Talks With Local 12 About Income Tax Cut Proposal