NASHVILLE – Republican Zach Wamp on Tuesday questioned GOP gubernatorial rival Bill Haslam’s commitment to opposing a state income tax.
U.S. Rep. Wamp, R-Tenn., noted that, as Knoxville’s mayor, Haslam hiked property taxes almost 15 percent, blaming it on his predecessor.
“I’m the only Republican candidate running who has not raised taxes and we have got to hold the line,” Wamp said during a “teleforum” call with Tennessee members of the National Federation of Independent Business. “When (Haslam) became mayor, he said his predecessor left him in an awkward position and he just had to raise taxes.”
Wamp said Tennessee’s next governor will be in a similar “awkward” position when he takes office in January because federal stimulus money “evaporates.”
“Is this the same kind of logic going to be used next year that, ‘Oh, we’re just going to have to raise taxes’?” he asked.