Time to be a little skeptical of Dean's tax claims?

Yep.

*snip*But an examination of Dean’s record as Vermont’s governor has found that the bigger tax cut was in fact signed into law by his Republican predecessor, Richard Snelling. In 1991, Snelling signed legislation authorizing higher tax rates that would “sunset” two years later. Dean, then lieutenant governor, took over after Snelling died, and the rates dropped automatically at the end of 1993.

While the section of Dean’s website on his fiscal record highlights his role in eliminating the sales tax on clothing items, it omits the fact that the overall sales tax was raised from 4 percent to 5 percent during Dean’s tenure.

Dean’s assertions are prompting criticism from Vermonters familiar with the state’s fiscal history. “No way. That is ridiculous,” said Richard Heaps, a specialist on Vermont tax law and coauthor of the Vermont Economy Newsletter, when asked about Dean’s income tax claims. “He didn’t cut taxes by 30 percent. We would be dancing in the street if he did.”*snip*

So he did the right thing by keeping a Republican governor’s tax cuts in place. Thanks, Gov. SNELLING.