2012: Cato otorga una "A" a Pawlenty

Cato Institute, el think tank libertario-conservador, ha publicado su evalucación bienal sobre las políticas fiscales de los 50 Gobernadores de la Unión. Nos fijamos en los presidenciables. Tim Pawlenty se lleva la nota más alta, un "A", gracias a su veto a impuestos sobre la gasolina y a subidas del impuesto sobre la renta, y a su propuesta de enmienda constitucional para limitar el gasto público en Minnesota. A Mitch Daniels le dan un "B" y a Haley Barbour un "C". Otro que se lleva un "A" pero no parece tener ambiciones presidenciales por el momento es Bobby Jindal, de Louisiana.

Sobre el Gobernador Tim Pawlenty (R - Minnesota):

(...) In his first few years in office, Governor Pawlenty backed tax increases on corporationsand cigarette consumers. However, the governor has changed course in recent years, con-sistently supporting tax cuts and opposing tax increases. In 2008, he vetoed a large gaso-line tax increase.

In 2009, he twice vetoed giant tax packages passed by the legislature,which included increases in the top personal income tax rate and increased taxes on gaso-line, beer, wine, and liquor. In 2010, he again vetoed an income tax rate increase. Pawlenty has also proposed substantial business tax cuts to make the state more competitive, andhe wants the corporate tax rate reduced from 9.9 percent to 4.8 percent.

Under Pawlenty,state general fund spending rose 22 percent between FY03 and FY08, which was less than the average state increase. The governor's proposed spending for FY11 is down 10 percentfrom the FY08 peak. Pawlenty has proposed a constitutional amendment to limit annual growth in the state's general fund spending over the long term. (...)

Sobre el Gobernador Mitch Daniels (R - Indiana):

(...) Governor Daniels is a fiscal conservative, but he seems to focus more on balancing the state budget than shrinking the size of government.

In his first term, he signed into law an increase in the cigarette tax to fund higher health spending, and he proposed a temporary increase in the top income tax rate.... in 2008, he enacted a tax overhaul that swapped an increase in the state sales tax rate for lower local property taxes.

.... Daniels has called for refunds to taxpayers in years when the state has a large budget surplus, but he has not pushed for permanent state tax cuts. (...)

Sobre el Gobernador Haley Barbour (R - Mississippi):

(...) Governor Barbour has a conservative reputation, but his tax and spending record over seven years as governor has not been very conservative.

Barbour has proposed some small tax breaks and blocked some tax increases proposed by the legislature, but he has not pushed for pro-growth reforms such as marginal tax rate cuts.

Barbour signed into law a tax increase on hospitals in 2008 and a tax increase on cigarettes of 50 cents per pack in 2009. With regard to the hospital tax, Barbour said, "It's a good, fair deal that taxes the hospitals, not our citizens--and rightly so."

But, of course, the cost of higher taxes collected from hospitals will ultimately fall on citizens.

On spending, Barbour oversaw large increases in the budget before the recent recession. General fund spending soared 43 per-cent between FY04 and FY08. But the recession has forced governors to cut back, and Barbour's proposed spending for FY11 is down 14 percent from the FY08 peak. (...)