Melvin on Melvin’s No New Taxes Pledge

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by David Safier
Al Melvin didn't sign Grover Norquist's No New Taxes Pledge in 2008, that's certain. He's not listed among those who signed on Norquist's site. However, he did sign it in 2006. Does that make him a fair weather No Tax Pledger? "I solemnly swear, I will not vote for any new taxes, except when I will. But only after I take back the pledge."

But it turns out, during the 2008 campaign, he said he did sign the No New Tax Pledge.

Here is what he said on August 8, 2008, during a debate on KUAT, answering a question about whether he would repeal the $250 million property tax that's now such an important part of the budget snafu.

Well, I am a firm believer in following John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and the current President that lower taxes generate greater economic activity, which in turn creates more taxes for the Government, I believe that. So I have frankly signed the "No New Tax" pledge. I would not have voted for that increase. [bold face added for emphasis]

Indeed.

There's one part of Melvin's quote I especially love. It's where he puts JFK into the company of Reagan and Bush II as a tax cutter. It's true, but it's also a wee bit of a distortion of history. See, Kennedy inherited a top income tax bracket of 91% from Eisenhower. He wanted to cut it to 65%. That's a far cry from the few percentage points Obama wants to add to Bush's 35% top rate on the richest Americans.

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