By Gary Grado | Arizona Capitol Times
The fate of whether voters get to decide on an income tax on the wealthy could depend on what math a judge decides is appropriate.
A new lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry contends the petitions circulated by the #InvestInEd committee are “objectively false and misleading.” Attorney Kory Langhofer wants a judge to block the issue from getting on the November ballot.
Part of Langhofer’s contention is that the measure, if approved, would do more than boost income tax rates on individuals making more than $250,000 and couples in the $500,000-plus range.
He argues it also would rescind a 2015 law that indexes all income tax brackets, a move that would affect those in lower-wage categories and that the 100-word description fails to inform voters of that fact. Jim Barton, attorney for the campaign, counters that Langhofer is off-base and the indexing is preserved.
But much of the litigation is based on numbers — and how voters may understand them.
