Wayne Messam Quotes

It is my absolute intent to hold the line on taxes.

I'm not going to raise taxes.

I've made a promise that taxes would be my last resort on issues.

We have no interest in raising taxes.

Tax policy is not about compassion.

I think the tax cut is ridiculous but so am I.

Obama broke his no-new-taxes pledge 15 days after he took office when he signed legislation on Feb. 4, 2009 raising the tax on cigarettes 158 percent - 62 cents per pack.

I cannot support taxing the taxpayer.

I have never voted for a tax increase.

The easy way out is to increase taxes.

When we were at peace, Democrats wanted to raise taxes. Now there's a war, so Democrats want to raise taxes. When there was a surplus, Democrats wanted to raise taxes. Now that there is a mild recession, Democrats want to raise taxes.

I think that taxes have to exist. They should exist at the lowest possible level, and to the extent that we can, we shouldn't invent more. Maybe that's my experience being mayor of New York City, where we had so many taxes.

As a matter of policy, increasing taxes on the most economically productive group, which already generates 60 percent of the nation's federal revenues, during a sustained period of economic doldrums is a wretched idea.

Many Republicans have what I call a 'tax-cut syndrome' where they have never seen a tax cut they didn't really like and didn't see a tax increase they didn't hate and do everything they could to block.

Whoever is for higher taxes, feel free to pay higher taxes.

I just think that - when a country needs more income and we do, we're only taking in 15 percent of GDP, I mean, that - that - when a country needs more income, they should get it from the people that have it.

I've never supported a wage tax and I've never supported a payroll tax.

I'm not for raising taxes on anyone - period.

... with a cash machine like an income tax, the state legislature will go wild and go on a spending spree.

There's a lot of evidence you can sell people on tax increases if they think its an investment.

Those who pay no taxes, disposing by their votes of other people's money, have every motive to be lavish and none to economize.

A tax can never be favorable to the public welfare, except by the good use that is made of its proceeds.

There is no serious statistical evidence in support of the view that tax rates at current levels have a major disincentive effect on economic growth.

I don't think we should reduce the corporate tax rate.

If we lower the payroll tax, will Americans let us raise it again? I don't think so.