Huckabee addresses fiscal conservatives

Huckabee defends tax record: During his 10 years as Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee supported numerous tax increases. Huckabee recently signed a no-tax pledge. Huckabee said that when people look at his record, they'll realize that he's actually "a strong fiscal conservative." Some of his fiscal decisions were driven by court-ordered spending increases or increase for federal entitlement spending for programs "over which you don't have executive control," Huckabee said.

Among the increases Huckabee advocated while in office was a 1/8-cent increase to pay for conservation programs, a $60 million-a-year fuel tax increase to pay for road construction, and a 1/2-cent sales tax rise. "We raised a fuel tax on highways but it was on the ballot and 80 percent of the people voted for it. We rebuilt our highways." A Democrat led congress established a sales tax increase was tied to a voter-approved constitutional amendment that trimmed property taxes by $180 million. And, he allowed a 7/8-cent sales tax increase go into effect without his signature in 2004 in response state Supreme Court order to improve schools.

“The record is that I cut taxes 90 times during my 10 and a half years as governor,” Huckabee declared during a taping of "The Exchange" on New Hampshire Public Radio.“ Huckabee also signed into law nearly $100 million in income tax breaks and other relief measures targeting poor and middle-income taxpayers -- the largest tax cut in Arkansas history at the time. He later signed into law a 30% cut in Arkansas' capital gains tax. Huckabee successfully pushed for a Property Taxpayers' Bill of Rights intended to clarify how property taxes are calculated and how the money is allocated to schools, local governments and other purposes. The law made it easier to challenge tax bills, including provisions for after-hours meetings to accommodate working people.

"We improved test scores and accountability and increased teacher pay while maintaining fiscal responsibility," Huckabee wrote in a recent fundraising letter. "When I left office on Jan. 9, Arkansas had a surplus of almost $850 million." Huckabee's successor, has signed nearly $200 million worth of tax cuts which were put forth by Republican legislators, including the reduction of the state sales tax on food from 6% to 3%. The $121 million cut is the largest tax cut ever passed by state government. "I can guarantee that if they didn't have a surplus, they wouldn't be doing it," Huckabee said.
Read Sources: - Huckabee defends his record on taxes & Huckabee faces fiscal conservatives

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