Republican legislators go after "Tax eaters"

G-O-P legislators are attacking folks they call “tax-eaters” who are pressing lawmakers to raise taxes rather than enact more state budget cuts. Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows and other Republican legislators met privately at the statehouse yesterday. Iverson says “the bulk of the people who are talking about raising taxes are the people who are getting money out of state government.” He says the “tax-eaters want more money” but Iverson says the taxpayers are saying ‘hold it,” don’t “tax me more.” School officials across the state are urging the Legislature to significantly boost state aid to schools, and the state workers union has urged legislators to consider refiguring Iowa’s tax system, and raise some taxes in the mix. House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City, says democrat Governor Tom Vilsack is conducting hearings around the state where tax increases are a main topic. Rants says “everywhere (Vilsack) goes, he’s talking about, or somebody’s talking about, raising taxes in this state.” Rants says raising taxes “sends absolutely the wrong signal” to business and individuals.