BY BOBBIE SLATER – Continuing a pattern of ridiculous, slanderous and baseless attacks, the already discredited Pacific Resource Partnership has begun airing television ads alleging that while in office, Governor Cayetano “gave tax cuts to the rich.”
Yet here are the REAL facts:
– The tax cuts were made in 1998 to reduce the top state personal income rates from 10% to 8.25% and was the single biggest personal income tax cut in the entire nation.
– If a couple filing jointly had an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $40,000 they were taxed at the top rate of 10%; if a person filing individually had an AGI of $20,000 he or she was taxed at 10%; these groups were not rich people but in fact predominantly the working class.
– Governor Cayetano’s efforts to revise the tax structure to put this group of taxpayers in lower tax brackets was rejected by the Legislature due to the immense pressure from public worker unions opposed to reform.
As Cayetano said in last week’s televised debate, labor unions and big money have dominated this town for a very long time. Pacific Resource Partnership has no credibility to discuss tax policy; it is turning into a front for anonymous special interests that covet monies earned by the hardworking people.
During the last televised debate, while the other contenders bragged about their accomplishments and rail, Ben Cayetano gave this inspiring final statement.
“Rail is a big issue but the real issue is about power. Big business, big labor and a select few have been running things for a long time. They have their fingers in nearly everything that affects our lives — and our children’s future. They influence or intimidate politicians to do their bidding — and they try to crush those who don’t go along.
“They have taken over the political power which rightfully belongs to you, the people.
“This can be a transformational election in Hawaii politics. Let’s take back the city government and return power where it rightfully belongs — with you, the people.”
We asked if he would mind if we printed it. He replied:
“I wrote this during the break because that was how I felt. The positive response has been quite amazing, it seems like I hit a nerve among viewers who felt the same as I did.”
It certainly did with us.
This is the link to the video clip of Ben delivering this inspiring message.
This is why we work against this project and why we completely support Ben Cayetano for Mayor.