Democrats love taxes. When we say they love taxes, we mean they absolutely LOVE them. During the 2017 campaign season, people did not hear about the tax increases Democrats were going to propose in the General Assembly, because those running for office never told the public they would. In fact, most said they would not. Therefore, it is most precarious that the biggest tax increasing legislative agenda in decades would come forward so silently.
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam laid out his progressive agenda at the beginning of the year, despite his election wave being carried on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment, not precisely on an endorsement of his agenda. Of course, when Democrats are elected to office after running on the sole issue of opposing the president, a lot can slip by the wayside.
It has clearly come to fruition the insincere nature of newly-elected Democrats to hoodwink their voters in order to push such a progressive-based legislative program. In just the first month of the 60-day session, the Democrats have put forth their new tax plan. They will tax you for Netflix, they will tax you when you sleep, and again when you die. That is the Democratic strategy for the Virginia General Assembly.
House Bill 1051 introduced by Delegate Vivian Watts (D-Fairfax) was set to apply new communications sales and use taxes to streaming services millennials love for audio and visual data, as well as prepaid calling services. As stated in the language of the legislation, “The bill also clarifies that the tax applies to communications services regardless of whether customers are charged a subscription fee, a periodic fee, or an actual usage fee.”
Millennials, the “cord cutting” generation, had favor from Republicans in the House. Caucus Chairman Tim Hugo (R-Fairfax) voted with majority Republicans against the measure. “The people of Virginia don’t need higher taxes, especially on things such as Netflix. This bill would have disproportionately affect millennials who enjoy these streaming services, as well as every family who enjoys a movie night together at home,” he explained.
While Virginia Democrats enjoyed a clear electoral favor from millennials, they may not have been the case if they were actually kept abreast of their proposed legislation. Though, if anyone really knew the agenda of the progressives while they were campaigning, a foundation for the procurement of “Netflix and Chill” may have been established.
A second proposed tax increase for Virginians was filed by Delegate David Reid (D-eastern Loudoun County) which will institute a statewide “hotel tax” that was originally imposed only in Northern Virginia – a bastion of liberal America. House Bill 1356 states that the state transient occupancy tax will, “Expand[s] the 2% regional transient occupancy tax,” the funding from which will be allocated so that, “Thirty-five percent of the revenue generated from the tax shall be used to fund the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and the remaining amount shall be used to fund transit and transportation projects throughout the Commonwealth.”
The woeful management of WMATA by General Manager Paul Wiedefeld has left the Metro rail system in tatters after decades of maintenance has been pushed off. Of course, this will be fixed by using the money ripped out of the pockets of hard-working Virginians.
As of 2017, 36 states in the union did not impose an estate tax, according to The Balance. Why would it be fair to tax someone after die? Well, for Virginians, this will be changed by our friends in the Democratic delegation.
Delegate Watts also sponsored House Bill 310 that would reinstate the estate (death) tax – the third new progressive tax. It is stated in the bill, “The revenues from the estate tax would be used for health care purposes.” Therefore, to provide people in Virginia with healthcare, the state must take the money from the family of deceased loved one and give it back to the state – to be used wisely, of course. For the liberal-progressive Medicaid expansion program laid out by Governor Ralph Northam, it will be paid for by dead people.
Who knew dead people could be so profitable? Starting next year and through 2024, the new tax increases would combine for an additional $69.3 million to the state budget. This is $69.3 million that could have helped families recover after the loss of a relative. According to the impact statement of the bill, “As stand-alone legislation, the Department [of Taxation] considers implementation of this bill as “routine,” and does not require additional funding. Thank goodness it does not require additional funding – they may have had to tax sick people, too.
So, fellow Virginians, there is no way you are getting out of it. Even if you do not use streaming services, even if you never stay in a hotel, you will die someday – and you will be taxed by the Democrats.
