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Hilleary, Bryant hit Corker on tax increases(Chattanooga Times (Free Press, TN) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jul. 29--Republican U.S. Senate contender Bob Corker's two major opponents have criticized him for pushing through tax increases while mayor of Chattanooga, making taxes a major issues in this heated GOP primary. While former congressmen Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary blasted Mr. Corker for pushing a 48-cent property tax increase, they also criticized him for seeking and gaining approval of a city hotel-motel tax. Bryant campaign spokesman Andrew Shulman said Mr. Corker's work on obtaining approval for the 24 percent property tax increase and the 4 percent hotelmotel tax raises questions. "As mayor of Chattanooga, Bob Corker raised taxes on hardworking Tennesseans by 24 percent in his first year and worked with (then-Governor ) Don Sundquist to create a brand-spanking new hotel and motel tax," Mr. Shulman said. Mr. Corker has defended the property tax hike, saying that it was needed to help fill a budget shortfall he inherited from the previous administration. The Tennessee General Assembly authorized the city to implement a hotel-motel tax, which added on to existing state and local sales taxes. The Chattanooga City Council approved both the property tax increase and the city lodging tax. The hotel-motel tax was implemented at a graduated rate. The hotel-motel tax revenue is earmarked for the 21 st Century Waterfront in downtown Chattanooga. Mr. Shulman said while there has been little discussion about the hotel-motel tax, "it affects everyone in Chattanooga. If you live in Chattanooga and have a relative visit, they pay the tax." Corker political director Todd Womack also worked with Mr. Corker at the mayor's office. "It is unbelievable in this race that Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary are not content to only attack Bob Corker, but they are attacking Chattanooga and all that we have accomplished together," he said. "The fact is that Bob Corker raised $51 million from the private sector to transform our waterfront and then worked with the industry who benefited most from that transformation to help pay for it so that the citizens of Chattanooga would not have to," Mr. Womack said. Hilleary campaign manager Jennifer Coxe said there is a clear contrast between Mr. Hilleary and Mr. Corker. "Bob Corker's solution to any problem is to raise taxes," Ms. Coxe said. "Van's a tax-cutter, and Bob Corker's a tax-raiser." Mr. Corker, Mr. Bryant and Mr. Hilleary are the three major candidates running in next Thursday's Republican U.S. Senate primary. The winner is expected to face Democratic U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. on Nov. 7. The race is for the seat now filled by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who is not running for another term. E-mail Michael Davis at [email protected] E-mail Andy Sher at [email protected] |