Meg Whitman Uses Palm Springs Stop To Push Competition

Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman reiterated her plans to make California’s economy more competitive with other states during a visit today to a Palm Springs medical device manufacturing firm.

Whitman, former chief executive officer of eBay, has proposed eliminating the “factory tax” and supports targeted tax cuts intended to create jobs and grow the state’s economy.

Whitman’s opponent, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, supports a 10 percent across-the-board tax cut for every business and individual in California and streamlining regulations to make the state competitive again, communications director Jarrod Agen told City News Service.

In a commentary published today in The Desert Sun, Whitman recounted details of her plans to boost the economy, including;

— accelerating the depreciation of new business equipment to encourage farmers, manufacturers and others to expand, invest and hire;

— eliminating the $800 fee to form a new business;

— increasing the research and development tax credit for California businesses from 15 percent to 20 percent to promote investment in new technologies; and

— eliminating the state capital gains tax.

“I’m putting forward a tax-cut strategy that is affordable and focused on job creation,” Whitman wrote. “It’s an achievable tax cut, not an empty campaign-year promise that can never be delivered.”

Agen said, “Poizner has a clear plan advocating tax cuts for everyone, while Meg Whitman wants politicians in Sacramento to determine the winners and losers of tax cuts. The funny part is that just about every person reading Meg Whitman’s op-ed will not see a single cent of tax relief under her plan.”

Poizner was scheduled to speak at Tea Party rallies in Irvine and Oceanside today.