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When Will "Fee-Fee" Romney Defend His Real Record?« Thread S

Daily newsbrief journal for October 2007, also see http://www.usdemocrats.com/brief for a global 100-page perpetual brief and follow twitter @usdemocrats


When Will "Fee-Fee" Romney Defend His Real Record?« Thread S

Postby admin » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:39 am

When Will "Fee-Fee" Romney Defend His Real Record?« Thread Started on Oct 13, 2007, 4:11pm » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------When Will "Fee-Fee" Romney Defend His Real Record?October 11, 2007 Washington, DC - Just days after misrepresenting and exaggerating his economic record during this week's CNBC Republican presidential debate, Mitt Romney is taking his relentless campaign to distract from his failed leadership to Oklahoma City and Phoenix. While Romney thinks his flip-flops and smooth talk can convince Republican primary voters to ignore his past, the Associated Press yesterday revealed the real Romney. As governor, not only did Romney repeatedly fail to pass an income tax cut plan, but he actually pushed through $500 million in fee hikes and raised corporate taxes. [AP, 10/10/07]. In fact, on the whole, Romney's mismanagement of the Massachusetts economy prompted economists to declare the state's performance "one of the worst in the country." On his watch, Massachusetts lost 10,000 jobs, the state's budget increased every year he was in office, property taxes rose to their highest level in 25 years, and he raised so many fees on Massachusetts taxpayers that he earned a nickname in his home state: "Fee-Fee." Now, on the campaign trail, Romney is working to distance himself from that record by flip-flopping on a capital gains tax he once mocked as a tax cut for "fat cats" and calling for the extension of President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy--even though he refused to endorse them in 2003. "Smooth talking Mitt Romney can't flip-flop and pander his way out of the fact that his economic record as Massachusetts governor was nearly as dreadful as the President he hopes to replace," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "The American people want their next President to offer real solutions on critical issues like health care and the economy, but all Romney has to offer is four more years of President Bush's failed leadership." Mitt Romney's Real Economic RecordWEAK ECONOMY: Economic Performance During Romney's Tenure as Mass Governor Was "One of the Worst in the Country." According to economists at Northeastern University, an analysis of the Massachusetts economy "reveals a weak comparative economic performance of the state over the Romney years, one of the worst in the country." [Boston Globe, 7/28/07]RAISING FEES: Earned Nickname "Fee-Fee" For Raising Taxes and Fees. [Associated Press, 8/28/07] Boston Globe reported, "A survey of states grappling with spending crises has found that Massachusetts imposed more fee hikes than any other state in the nation this year -- at least $500 million…The study by the National Conference of State Legislatures found that Massachusetts was one of 30 states that enacted fee increases this year…Of the 30 states to raise fees, only nine [brought] in $100 million or more from those fee hikes. Massachusetts reported $501.5 million in fee hikes." [Boston Globe, 7/24/03] HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES: Romney Forced Hike in Local Commercial Property Taxes; Property Taxes Rose to Highest Level in 25 Years. According to Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the state's largest business group, Romney signed a measure that allowed local officials to raise the commercial property tax rate, which cost business owners $100 million. Romney's cuts to local aid forced Massachusetts property taxes to their highest level in 25 years. [Quincy Patriot Ledger, 12/16/05; Boston Globe, 10/24/05] Romney's cuts to local aid forced Massachusetts property taxes to their highest level in 25 years. [Quincy Patriot Ledger, 12/16/05; Boston Globe, 10/24/05]LOST JOBS: Massachusetts Lost 10,000 Jobs During Romney Administration Watch. Romney oversaw a net decrease of more than 10,000 jobs in Massachusetts. [Boston Herald, 2/21/07]INCREASED SPENDING: Gov. Romney Increased Budgets Each Year. The Romney Administration proposed four budgets while in office: covering fiscal years 2004-2007. Each budget increased spending over the previous year. The Administration's FY 04 budget called for $23.270 billion in funding. The Administration's FY 05 budget called for $24.514 billion in funding. The Administration's FY 06 budget called for $25.097 billion in funding. And the Administration's FY 07 budget called for $26.882 billion in funding. [Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, 6/23/03, 6/704, 6/10/05, 6/22/06]FLIP-FLOPPING ON TAX CUTS: Romney Supports Tax Cut He Once Mocked as Cut for Fat Cats. In 1996, Mitt Romney ran ads against Steve Forbes' flat tax plan, saying he "will not support a specific proposal unless it taxes investment income." Romney's ads asserted that the Forbes plan to eliminate taxes on dividends, interest and investment profit and institute a 17% tax on wages that would result in huge tax cuts for the "Kennedys, Rockefellers, and Forbes." The ad said, "It's a tax cut for fat cats." [Boston Globe, 1/21/96; Hotline On-Call, 3/28/07]Mitt Romney 2003: Refused to Publicly Endorse Bush Tax Cuts. "Romney refused to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program in 2003. Romney's spokesperson said that it's 'just not a state matter." [Boston Globe, 4/11/03]###
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