Dunn Has Love Affair with Income Tax
NASHVILLE - In the continuing effort to shed light on Jim Bryson’s “Big Double Talk,” Victory 2006, the Tennessee Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign, proudly presents … Big Fact #2 About Jim Bryson: When Jim Bryson needed someone to run his campaign, he tapped former governor Winfield Dunn, who’s had a 30-year love affair with the income tax.
“Jim Bryson loves to demagogue the income tax,” Mark Brown, spokesman for Victory 2006, said. “Then he turns around and asks Winfield Dunn to run his campaign despite the fact that Dunn has swooned over the income tax for three decades. That’s Double-Talking Jim Bryson, in a nutshell.”
Dunn actually began his quixotic quest for the income tax in 1974, when he delivered a State of the State speech endorsing the findings of a tax-study commission that recommended creation of an income tax.
Even after leaving office, Dunn continued his push for the income tax and, as recently as 2002, was branded a “pro-income tax Republican” by then-gubernatorial candidate Van Hilleary’s campaign.
Below are just a few samples of Dunn’s pro-income tax statements over the years:
“I urge the members of this distinguished assembly - and my fellow Tennesseans at large - to carefully consider the recommendations of the Tax Modernization and Reform Commission … Whatever our revenue needs [in the future] might be, we must not permit ourselves to be paralyzed by an outmoded constitution which requires six years to be changed.” – Then-Governor Dunn, endorsing the findings of a tax-study commission that recommended an income tax and calling for changes in the Constitution to allow the tax. [State of the State Address, January 9, 1974]
“Dunn has taken a position against a state income tax since it became an issue in his 1970 campaign, but makes it clear that the position was dictated by politics. He has frequently expressed interest in the idea of a state income tax in the future.” – Tennessean coverage of Governor Dunn’s State of the State Address. [The Tennessean, January 10, 1974]
“Most legislators greeted Gov. Winfield Dunn’s suggestion that the state needs to lean toward an income tax with the enthusiasm which would accompany a January dip in the Cumberland River.” – Nashville Banner coverage of Governor Dunn’s State of the State Address. [Nashville Banner, January 10, 1974]
“A Tax Modernization and Reform Commission was formed and issued a report in 1974 calling for an income tax. Governor Dunn asked the legislature to consider the commission’s recommendations, becoming the first chief executive in post-war history to appear to support an income tax.” — Attorney and historian Lewis L. Laska, writing “A History of Personal Income Taxation in Tennessee.” [Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Winter 2001 edition]
“Our Tennessee state government is reeling under a revenue system that reeks with favoritism and special interests, regressive, impotent and inadequate, while ignorance reigns supreme within the population.” – Former Governor Dunn, speaking at the 2002 John J. Duncan Sr. Award for Senior Advocacy Banquet and Award Program. [The Knoxville News-Sentinel, May 15, 2002]
“Given Van’s steadfast opposition to an income tax, we fully expected Don Sundquist’s candidate, Jim Henry, to receive the support of pro-income tax Republicans and the pro-income tax editorial boards alike.” – Former GOP gubernatorial candidate Van Hilleary’s spokeswoman Jennifer Coxe, responding to former Governor Dunn’s endorsement of Hilleary’s primary opponent Jim Henry. [The Tennessean, July 16, 2002]
“I’m not saying an income tax is necessarily bad, because it’s been used in state after state after state.” – Former Governor Dunn, speaking at a luncheon marking the 30th anniversary of the Tennessee Housing Development Authority. [Chattanooga Times Free Press, June 14, 2003]
Over the course of the next month, stay tuned for more “Big Facts About Jim Bryson.”
