In a thread on Peach Pundit, state Rep. Earl Ehrhart responded (though not directly to me) to concerns I have about the GlennTax currently being discussed for next session. Namely, that it’s an attempt to consolidate power in the House. Here’s what he said:
If he wanted the power you are describing there would be no satutory guarantee in the proposed bill to pass all the money currently raised by locals plus some back to them.
Could it be changed? Of course, but taxes could be levied at a 100 % level also.
Neither are likely and neither are good policy.
Later in the same comment he says the local control argument is just a scare tactic:
Truly the home rule argument is just a scare tactic to divert the issue from finally getting rid of a rotten tax like property tax.
After he just finished acknowledging it’s possible the Legislature could decide later to take some graft off the top of the sales tax.
That it’s even possible that all money wouldn’t be passed back to locals is enough evidence to me that this proposal should not be considered seriously…unless you like your unintentional comedy in the form of a state government collapsing from the weight of corruption and heated strife with local governments. That’s the only level this dog of an idea is tempting on.
Wait. All the money collected by local governments would be passed back to them, plus some?
So would Georgia go back to printing its own money? Or does it just fall from the sky?
I am hoping that Richardson has overstepped himself the same way W. did with Social Security back in 2005. You never see it mentioned, but that was when his decline really started.
I am seeing evidence that some of these local officials are going to put up a scrap.
Earl Ehrhart hates local control. The Cobb County state rep. loves passing legislation blocking City of Atlanta ordinances, like the ones on a living wage and the Druid Hills Golf Club partner membership stuff. Even got involved involved with Cobb Co. school board issues. This guy is as credible as mud.