Hilleary's New Ad
It is factual. Phil Bredesen did support a graduated income tax while running years ago for a legislative seat in Massachussetts. He did in fact suggest a payroll tax for Davidson County. He did in fact raise property taxes three times. He did say he could change his mind on the income tax and push for one in his second term.


Phil Bredesen is a typical tax-and-spend Democrat, and very Sundquistian. He is squealing about the ad because the truth hurts.

The ad is good strategy. The Bredesen camp has been slyly attempting to link Hilleary with Sundquist in voters' minds by pointing out that Hilleary is a congressman and Sundquist was too. But Sundquist favors higher taxes and an unconstitutional state income tax while Hilleary has never voted for any tax increase of any kind, and recognizes that the income tax is not allowed by the state constitution. Bredesen, meanwhile, has a record of pushing for new taxes and higher taxes.

Now that Hilleary has caught Bredesen in the polls - and Bredesen's support appears to have plateaued despite him spending millions of dollars - it is the right time for Hilleary to set the record straight.

Bredesen has sought to define Hilleary as something he is not. Hilleary's ad sets the record straight. The biggest threat to the wallets of Tennessee's taxpayers is Phil Bredesen. In the race to succeed Don Tax-and-SpendQuist, Van Hilleary is the taxpayers' best friend.