FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2008

FAMILY FOUNDATION URGES ASSEMBLY TO REJECT TAX HIKE PLANS
- Families struggling in sluggish economy would be hurt -

RICHMOND - The Family Foundation of Virginia today called on the Virginia General Assembly to reject proposed increases in gas or sales taxes, or other schemes that would burden Virginia's taxpayers, during the proposed special session on transportation.

"I can think of no worse time to raise taxes on working families in Virginia than when they are already struggling to make ends meet in a sluggish economy," said Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia. "Adding additional tax burdens to these families while they are already having a hard time filling the car with gas, paying the mortgage or just taking care of daily necessities is reckless and dangerous. The General Assembly has failed to control its spending habits for two decades and has put our Commonwealth in this position. Asking working families to bail them out is arrogant and foolish.

"Let's be perfectly clear - a tax hike scheme, whether state-wide, regional, renamed or repackaged - is still a tax hike and will hurt our families and our economy," said Cobb.

"Difficult times call for strong leadership and wise decision making," added Cobb. "Simply passing the burden onto the taxpayers because some elected officials lack the courage to slow the rate of spending will make matters even worse. Whether they like it or not, our legislators are going to have to reduce spending or face a continuing economic crisis - and eventual economic collapse. We simply cannot continue to fund the rate of growth they seek without damaging the economic well-being of working families."

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