Post: Paterson, Top Dems Agree To Tax Hike For Rich

The NY Post reports that Governor Paterson "and legislative Democrats have secretly agreed on an $8 billion, two- year tax hike on individuals making more than $500,000 a year," based on sources, who also say the plan would end in 2010...when Paterson would run for re-election.

Naturally, the Post is amused by this, since Paterson, facing a $15 billion deficit, has previously positioned himself as being against taxing the rich. The governor is reportedly supporting hiking the sales tax from 4% to 4.5%, "which would jump to close to 10 percent in parts of the state with the addition of local sales taxes." The sales tax hike would also be phased out by 2011. A source said, "Paterson has told everyone he really wants the taxes, but he wants it to appear to the public that he's against them."

This alleged wheeling and dealing—the Post's sources claim that Democrats, who now control the Assembly and Senate plus governor's office, "plan to ram the budget through with virtually no debate or scrutiny using special 'essages of necessity' issued by Paterson that will circumvent the legally required three-day waiting period designed to give lawmakers, and the public, time to review proposed new laws"—comes during Sunshine Week, a nationwide effort to promote transparency in government. The NY Times detailed how this year's negotiations were super secret.