It’s been a long time since the Democrats nominated a candidate for Governor who was actually in the legislature. (1993, to be exact, and don’t you know I LOVE another comparison to that year.)
Don Beyer, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine could all do the “I’m not going to raise taxes” spiel with no voting record to deny and to suggest they might was to commit some grave sin of prevarication.
But Deeds does have a record, a long, long list of voting for tax increase after tax increase. Deeds voted for regional tax increases for Hampton Roads the same time he voted for massive tax increases across the state (we in Hampton Roads got a double whammy).
“The Deeds campaign has passed the point of no return on his reckless record of supporting virtually every tax hike to come before him in the General Assembly.” Virginia Virtucon [1]
“Turns out that even the Post’s need for balance couldn’t get the paper past Criegh Deeds’ massive tax-hike record.” Right-Wing Liberal [2]
No, the Washington Post couldn’t ignore a record this long.
“For instance, since 2004, Deeds has supported five proposals that included some form of increase in the gas tax… One of those bills would have raised that tax by 5 cents a gallon over five years — it was proposed in 2008, when gas prices were rising. Another proposal from 2008 would have combined a boosted gas tax with a 25-cent increase in the sales tax and a 0.5 percent increase in the sales tax on cars. ” (WaPo [3])
The article states Deeds “does not intend to propose a tax increase.” Since when? He sure makes a great habit of voting for them.
Mark Warner could get away with his “I will not raise your taxes” line just like Tim Kaine could forget his pledge to not raise taxes until the transportation trust fund was protected. They didn’t have voting records in the General Assembly.
This one is great. Who said this?
“Any tax increase … any fee increase — or if we can think of any word that’s a synonym for fees — any revenue increase that is proposed into a transportation system, a trust fund, that’s not locked up and protected will be vetoed,” (WaPo [4])
Tim Kaine! Right before he spent four years pushing tax increases.
Democrats can’t play that game this year. Like Mary Sue Terry, Creigh Deeds has a record that tells us how much to believe him.
And Deeds speak louder than words.