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why is raising taxes the only answers our representatives can come up with? How about control spending? how about stop wasting money replacing screwed up roads that the contractors should pay for? How about making all the builders making a killing selling to new comers foot some of the bill. I can't wait to get out of this state. MORE, MORE, MORE. When will my employer start offsetting these impacts caused by the lack of creative leadership creates on my family budget. Why don't we tax something that will impact the representatives as much as the common man?

Sure wish we had a more creative group of people running for office instead of just another bunch of good ol' boys wanting to keep the status quo.

Sorry for the rant, but tax, tax, tax is not the answer. When I get hit with budget shortfalls, I tighten the belt, not go whining to my boss about a raise, or that I cannot live within my means.

North Carolina is already has one of the highest tax rates in the US. Politicans knee jerk response to any funding issue is to raise taxes. They never look for ways to control or reduce spending. I'm sick and tired of all the wastefull spending by our elected officials.

why don't we run the state budget like a family budget? No money, no services. That simple. If you want more money, give me more / better services. Don't keep raising my taxes to pay for their lack of control.

how about a burden tax on houses larger than 2500 sq. ft. how about taxing people with in ground sprinkler systems. how about taxing golf courses. how about taxing people using golf courses. how about taxing poeple with swimming pools. how about taxing people in gated communities. how about taxing people that join country clubs. how about taxing country clubs. how about taxing the good ol' boys. how about ......stop wasting so much.

This is something the Govenor should of done during his first 4 year term. Just drop a nuclear bomb on us Mike, before you go home why don't ya?

Taxes on the poor. The lottery for the poor wasn't enough. Why aren't teachers and schools getting money from this EDUCATION LOTTERY?? Tax the hardworking taxpayer to death as an exit deed. Great Mike. Thanks.

The only good news is, I hear that the majority of the people in the house and senate are regular drinkers, so they will also have to pay more. It just wont be a big deal to them because they are already rich.

This stinks, and so does Raleigh. Literally. Such a dirty corrupt city. I am glad I live in Greensboro.. warts and all, Greensboro is a far better place to be.

He is out of touch, let's keep spending and rasing taxes??? He will never get my vote again. I wish my job was so easy, need more money then just ask for it. This is just some of many to come!

The NC Democratic Party is sick. The prime evidence of that is our agoraphobic governor, who never saw a public appearance he would make nor a tax increase he wouldnt support. He has barely crossed west of I-85 in eight years in office and some of his best political friends are in prison or headed that way. Im so proud.

TEDBIV must be a Democrat (like Easley) --his second thought after no sin tax was "tax the (his definition) rich". Maybe he should get his wish and get out of this state? And I'm glad it is time for Easley to go fishing.

Gee Mr. Gov. - How about taxing the air we breathe. If you do that, can all of us asthmatics qualify for an exemption? Or should we just go drown ourselves? Oops - Sorry!! That would be a waste of water. And you know where we are re water.

Oh Yeah - that's a nice ad you put out about water conservation. Duh! How much does it cost us for those idiotic ads advising us of an obvious drought which has been recurring for the past 22 years? I wonder if over development and urban sprawl could be part of the problem?

Another Duh!! When you were pushing the lottery, wasn't that the panacea for good ole NC education expenses? Hey! why not raise the fuel taxes? Noone will notice; fuel is such a bargain these days. Do us a favor gov. Go take a long vacation, and just leave us alone

This is stupid, where's the republicans thats suppose to take care of crap like this? Why make a select few pay rather than everyone? Let's find one of the governor's little habits and tax the crap out of it. Democrats again.

Larry

If Bev Perdue has any hope of being the next governor she better put some serious work into changing this budget. 1.5% raise for state employee's but 7% for teachers (who I thought were state employee's also)? This has got to be the least thought out budget in history.

Lets see... Forclosures at an all time high, thousands of NC jobs are being sent overseas, fuel prices are going thru the roof along with food and everything else. This is what our governor comes up with! Another tax on poor people. It's time to throw the bums out!! We can take anymore Easley tax increases!

It would be refreshing if reason and enlightenment would return to government, but it seems that the 18th century is gone forever. Today the mandate seems to be that all that is required to become a governor is to know that the poor need to be taxed some more each year. "Sin taxes" should be universal for we all "sin" in some way. Why is it that even ordinary citizens seem more enlightened than the governor? For instance, most people are aware of air pollution, a pollution which blows a hole in the ozone layer and which has nothing to do with tobacco. Yet the big polluters are not taxed, even though that might reduce the real air pollution as well as the rate of asthma. Tax all businesses running drive-throughs with lines of cars idling away, for example. Well, since it is no longer politically correct to discriminate against most people, the "sinners" are our last outlet and we just must marginalize them. It's just way too easy and simultaneously way too injust to tax the same people more and more again and again. The hypocrisy, injustice and unreason in this should be evident. End rant.

It would be refreshing if reason and enlightenment would return to government, but it seems that the 18th century is gone forever. Today the mandate seems to be that all that is required to become a governor is to know that the poor need to be taxed some more each year. "Sin taxes" should be universal for we all "sin" in some way. Why is it that even ordinary citizens seem more enlightened than the governor? For instance, most people are aware of air pollution, a pollution which blows a hole in the ozone layer and which has nothing to do with tobacco. Yet the big polluters are not taxed, even though that might reduce the real air pollution as well as the rate of asthma. Tax all businesses running drive-throughs with lines of cars idling away, for example. Well, since it is no longer politically correct to discriminate against most people, the "sinners" are our last outlet and we just must marginalize them. It's just way too easy and simultaneously way too injust to tax the same people more and more again and again. The hypocrisy, injustice and unreason in this should be evident. End rant.

I THINK EASLEY HAS BEEN THE GREEDIEST GOV THE STATE OF NC HAS EVER HAD. I HOPE VOTERS WILL NEVER VOTE FOR HIM NO MATTER WHAT OFFICE HE RUNS FOR. HE HAS ADVOCATED TAXES ON EVERY THING WE HAVE. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE HIM LOSE HIS HOME AND HAVE TO TRAVEL 100 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK AND HAVE TO PAY FOR IT HIMSELF. HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A BUSINESS OR A FAMILY AND IS AS FAR OUT OF IT AS ARE ALL OF OUR POLITICIANS. THEY DO NOT LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD.

The lottery was for the education, but was it?, No, was another way to get poor peoples money, because the rich don't have to try to win money to break even in this world, more taxes, well , why don't we tax people that have ten room houses ,with 2 people living in them, with 4 car garages, why don't we tax the vacationers that can go to the casino and spend thousands and not blink, or on cruises for a month at a time, or the vacationers that can go to another country and make it rich, keep American money here for a few years, we might get back on track.....

The lottery was for the education, but was it?, No, was another way to get poor peoples money, because the rich don't have to try to win money to break even in this world, more taxes, well , why don't we tax people that have ten room houses ,with 2 people living in them, with 4 car garages, why don't we tax the vacationers that can go to the casino and spend thousands and not blink, or on cruises for a month at a time, or the vacationers that can go to another country and make it rich, keep American money here for a few years, we might get back on track.....

I love how we put more tax on alcohol and cigarettes. You know these are businesses too and what may be deemed a sin to you is not for millions of people. It's not fair to tax alchohol or tobacco as they have been taxed too much already. The alcohol and tobacco business is already fighting high costs with fuel, crops, and freight to just name a few. Now, we want to tax these guys again because we think it's supposedly a sin to smoke or drink. With all the crap that's going in NC and the USA we need a drink you know. Raising taxes is not the answer and times are already tight for the common man. Easley SUCKS!!!!!!

you are putting more people out of work this state was builded on tobacco. easley himself has benfit from tobacco so why citz try taxes the rich 6 figure income people whocan afford it . it call pay without any one speaking for the littlle person glad you are gone your last dig at the poor.

you are putting more people out of work this state was builded on tobacco. easley himself has benfit from tobacco so why citz try taxes the rich 6 figure income people whocan afford it . it call pay without any one speaking for the littlle person glad you are gone your last dig at the poor.

Thats why I went shopping in Va this morning, filled up with gas. We keep voting in these jerks, and then we have to live with it. Maybe after 100 years of democrats , we should try somethinfg else. Larry, you can not blame this on the republicans, this is Doug Clark job. Hogie all the things you named are well taxed. Maybe we should try stopping waste.

This is typical of the Democrat philosophy to "Tax & Spend" especially now to take the heat off a possible incumbent Dem. administration. I pray the voters have seen the result of the current governors failed policies and will make better choises the next time. Bev Perdue will be a carbon copy of Gov. slEasley

The is just another bribe to the teachers union, to get their vote. Democrats are known for these kinds of tactics.

I hate to see any sort of tax increase, but while tobacco may have had a hand in building this state it has done more than its fair share in killing people and raising our insurance rates. How about $2 per pack to help defray the medical costs imposed on the ones of us that don't smoke.

Why do we keep wanting to increase the salary of our Teachers...and then forget that we have a lot of hard working state employees who deserve just as much as the teachers do. It's getting down right nasty for the rest of your State Workers! I agree our hard working teachers deserve a raise...but what about the transportation workers...the state prison workers....the zoo personnel. We all are paid well below the national average. It's getting to the point...I know many are looking at not going to work...why???? Because it has been a long time since we were even thought about and struggle every day. Now with the new GAS $$$$$ going up outrageously it is getting to the point we may as well go back to living with no power...raising our own food and build the outhouses...because it won't be long we won't have any other choice. Remember Mr. Easley you have a lot of employees....not just the teachers!!!!!!!

well more of the same,gas is at a record high jobs are going out of the country, and the few jobs that are here thay want you to do them for next to nothing,why cant you do something besides raise taxes all the time, why dose the goverment always look to the tax payer to foot the bill, what happen to the lottery i thought that was going to do so much for education
instead of raising taxies why dont you try and do something worth why'll like , make job's so fokes can make a living, so if you really want to do something step up and make jobs for fokes, cant pay taxies if you'r not working, let the rich pay mine.

blkbrd are you serious. $2 a pack tax to help defray medical costs for those who don't smoke. Puh-lease. I don't smoke, but my parents do and I get tired of hearing everyone whine. Tobacco was big industry in this state and it doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets. When someone picks up a cigarette they know that they are doing. I choose not to smoke, but for those who do good for you and you know the consequences. But to say that non-smokers are getting lung cancer or some other disease because of second hand smoke is just ludicris. Get real!