During the 1980’s, Arizona suffered through tax increases under Gov. Bruce Babbitt. Arizona’s economy also underperformed compared to the national average. In the 90’s, things changed. Arizonans elected Fife Symington to be their governor, and between 1993 and 1997 when Symington left office, Arizona’s personal income tax rates dropped about 27 percent.
Arizona’s economy also outperformed the national average during that time period.
Who did Symington defeat in the 1991 runoff election? Terry Goddard.
Goddard is back, however, as the Democrat nominee for governor, but he doesn’t seemed to have learned his lesson. Trailing badly in the polls, Goddard is seeking to the be the candidate to be trusted to balance the budget. How? For one thing, he wants to rescind the Symington tax cuts. Yes, the last of which passed 13 years ago.
Not only is it a bit peculiar to rescind tax cuts that happened so long ago, but it’s more than a bit political that Goddard simply ignores the largest tax cut since the 1990’s . . . the one signed by Democrat Gov. Janet Napolitano (and pushed by the AZFEC). Although fighting tooth and nail, in 2006, Napolitano signed a 10 percent across-the-board personal income tax cut.
So, it’s unclear if Goddard wants to reverse only Symington’s tax cuts or all of the tax cuts since the days of Symington. Either way, it would be disastrous for Arizona.
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