Rally to protest tax hikes on working families Friday, April 15 at Pack Square Park

Press release from Progress NC Action:

Asheville-area taxpayers speak out against Gov. McCrory’s tax hikes on working families; Progress NC Action will also release a new poll correcting the record on a tax policy which benefits the wealthy at the expense of average North Carolinians

GREENSBORO — Tax Day is finally here, which means Triad-area taxpayers will join Sen. Terry Van Duyn and Rep. Susan Fisher in Asheville on Friday to correct the record on Gov. Pat McCrory’s tax hikes on working North Carolina families.

“Gov. McCrory keeps saying he’s lowered taxes, but his policies have only made things harder for working-class folks like me,” said Austin Hanna, one of Friday’s speakers. “He’s too busy looking out for special interests and wealthy campaign donors while nickel-and-diming the rest of us.”

Even House Rep. Chris Malone (R-Wake Forest) recently admitted on video that he paid $1,300 more in taxes thanks to the 2013 law that he himself supported, despite making $4,000 less income.

WHAT: Local taxpayers speak out about Gov. McCrory’s tax hikes on working families

WHO: Sen. Terry Van Duyn, Rep. Susan Fisher, Progress NC Action, JustUs United

WHEN: Friday, April 15 at 4:00pm

WHERE: Pack Square Park pavilion area, 60 Court Plaza in Asheville

Also on Friday, Progress NC Action will officially release a new poll which finds that more than half of North Carolinians (54%) say their state taxes have gone up in recent years. Additionally, nearly three-quarters (71%) say it’s unfair to raise sales taxes while cutting corporate income taxes.

“We’re seeing stories across the state of seniors, small business owners, students and their parents all paying higher state taxes,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress NC Action. “Lawmakers gave billions of dollars in tax cuts to big corporations and the wealthiest individuals, and they are paying for it with tax hikes on working families.”

New tax hikes approved by Gov. McCrory over the past few years include:

Doubling the electricity tax
Eliminating the Earned Income Tax Credit
Eliminating the medical expenses deduction
Sales tax hike on mobile homes
Sales tax hike on entertainment
Sales tax hike on auto repair contracts
Eliminating the small business deduction
Eliminating the back-to-school sales tax holiday
Increasing the gas tax by $1.2 Billion
Eliminating the student tuition deduction
Eliminating the mortgage forgiveness deduction
New tax on college meal plans
Eliminating child care tax credits
Eliminating the deduction for college savings plans
Reducing tax credits for farm machinery
Other sales tax hikes approved by Gov. McCrory include:

Household appliances
Doors, windows, cabinets, flooring, roofing, fences, etc.
Cars, motorcycles, bicycles, modular homes
Office Equipment
Clothing and shoe repair
Watch and jewelry repair
Electronics
Furniture
Video programming
Tire repairs and oil changes
Reloading bullets and shells
New or increased “fees” approved by Gov. McCrory include:

Doubled annual inspection fee for ice cream shop owners
Increasing the fee for the newborn screening program
Increased criminal court costs
Allowed for more toll road projects
Increased drivers license restoration fee
Raised learner’s permit fee
Raised fee for obtaining a duplicate license
Increased fee for driver improvement clinics
Increased fees for obtaining copies of license records.
Increased fee for initial driver’s license application
Raised taxes on car and truck rentals
Raised fees for private passenger vehicles
Increased fee on private passenger motorcycles
Increased fee on house trailers
Increased fee for plug-in electric vehicles
New fees for late vehicle registration
Raised fees on “wreckers”
Raised fees for semitrailers and trailers
Increased fees on motor carriers