PolitiFact.com
Statements about Taxes
Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz

Pants on Fire!

One remark shortly reconsidered

David Dewhurst has a "record of promoting an income tax."

Ron Paul

Ron Paul

Half-True

Don't forget the Civil War period

Says the U.S. federal income tax rate was 0 percent until 1913.

Craig James

Craig James

Half-True

Some up, some down

Says Rick Perry cut taxes.

Kay Bailey Hutchison

Kay Bailey Hutchison

Mostly True

Unemployment: $20 million. Food stamps: $0.

Says taking millionaires off food stamps and unemployment would save $20 million.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry

Mostly True

Closing loopholes drove up revenue

Says Mitt Romney raised business taxes 20 percent in Massachusetts.

Charlie Gonzalez

Charlie Gonzalez

Half-True

Subtract 40 million households, for starters

"If Congress does not pass the renewal of the payroll tax cut before the end of the year, nearly 160 million working families will see their taxes go up by roughly $1,000."

National Taxpayers Union

National Taxpayers Union

False

Disconnected dots

President Obama plans to "impose a tax of at least 23 percent on the Medicare prescription drug benefit for low-income beneficiaries."

Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott

Mostly False

It was the industry's idea

"Obama has (a) new Christmas tree tax."

Rick Perry

Rick Perry

False

Everyone redefined?

Says that under his tax plan, "no matter where you are in the stratosphere, you're going to be getting a tax cut."

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

Mostly False

Pick and pay

Says "tanking" Rick Perry’s federal tax plan has "huge tax cuts for rich people and big tax hikes for everyone else."

Ron Paul

Ron Paul

Pants on Fire!

Fails to show the way

Says "our taxes have doubled" with Rick Perry in office.

Margaret Carlson

Margaret Carlson

Half-True

Rec: Read his book

Rick Perry "has advocated abandoning Social Security, scuttling Medicaid and ending the federal income tax."

Eddie Rodriguez

Eddie Rodriguez

False

Overlooks three states--that might could fit in a Texas county

Says Texas is the only state that exempts jet fuel from its state motor fuels tax.

Roger Williams

Roger Williams

True

Five times counting repeats

Says he's signed a pledge not to raise taxes four times.

Kathie Tovo

Kathie Tovo

Mostly True

Banks for bucks

Says the Austin City Council "may give $4 million a year to subsidize a race track."

Steve Ogden

Steve Ogden

Mostly True

Analyses support statement, but businesses pass on tax burden

Says businesses "already pay most of the taxes."

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

Mostly True

In recent years

Says Texas routinely gets "a lot more federal spending" than it pays in taxes.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry

False

Notably bigger any way it's sliced

Says the state’s budget shortfall is "not that much different" than it was in 2003.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry

Mostly True

Highest growth in support and administrative posts

Says a "rather extraordinary amount of non-classroom employees" were added by Texas school districts over the last decade.

Rick Perry

Rick Perry

Mostly False

It's for anything lawmakers agree on (including disasters)

Says the state’s rainy day fund is "our insurance policy against a major natural disaster."  

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