I am continually flummoxed by the Perriello campaign. For every one admirable idea that comes out of the policy shop (workforce development, microfinancing, and a commitment to two-year educations) there’s something else that comes out the next day that shocks the heck out of me — walking back on his vote for the Stupak Amendment, his pro-2A stance, and so forth.
Today’s installment? Taxing job creators. From Travis Fain over at the Daily Press:
The basics are laid out in a lengthy post online, and the campaign said its increased revenue projection hovers around $1.1 billion. Perriello has called for an estimated $1 billion or so in new spending, including universal pre-K, free community college and a new family leave requirement for private sector businesses.
Such a tax increase would likely be a no-go with the GOP-controlled General Assembly, particularly since much of its leadership has backed a $1.3 billion tax cut plan from Ed Gillespie, the frontrunner in the GOP side of this governor’s race.
Gillespie probably couldn’t be happier with this sort of juxtaposition.
Working families get to have a choice of a billion dollar tax cut or a billion dollar tax hike? Between government determining your future and you determining your future? Between a free lunch and a free market?
Gee — tough choice there… and if the Perriello camp’s argument here is “well, we’ll just make the other guy pay for it!” then one really has to ask. Absent any commitment to infrastructure or transportation and absent support for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, where do these hyper-educated folks go when Perriello’s Virginia can’t accommodate their education?
They go north. They go elsewhere… and they follow where the capital and infrastructure lead.
Not a wise plan.