On my campaign card, I have a list of issues which I believe are a priority to myself and the good people of the fighting 31st. I recently moved "Lower Taxes" to the top of the list.
I like the things that taxes pay for. I enjoy our public parks, our libraries. I use the roads everyday. I hope I never have to call them, but I'm glad that the police, fire and EMS crews are available. I'm proud of our court system. When I buy a gallon of gas, I know I'm getting a gallon of gas because a government inspector is there to enforce it. I'm not thrilled about getting building permits for remodeling my house, but I'm glad that my neighbors can't build skyscrapers next door. I'm a proud graduate of public schools and the University of Maryland system.
Taxes do two things: they increase the revenue of the government and they destroy. It's a delicate balance between the two. Right now the tax burden is falling increasingly on the middle class and the small businesses and it has crossed the line into destruction. The tax burden is crushing the heart of our community and the primary creator of jobs. That's a problem.
Instead of taxing the middle class and small businesses more, why don't we cut them a break and tax things that we want less of (or that we want more of but that we know are bad for us): pollution, crime, junk food, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, etc. And the beautiful part is that if you don't want to pay the cigarette tax, you don't have to. Just don't buy cigarettes! It's saved me thousands over the years.
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What happens, however, assuming that taxing things that are bad for you works, when said things are no longer taxable (say if people hate the cigarette tax and stop buying cigarettes, then tax revenue falls, where does that money come from then?) Now, I agree with you that stuff like cigarettes, fastfood,etc should be taxed. I also believe in taxing everyone fairly I think people who are wealthy should pay their representative share in taxes, and that loopholes int he tax code should be routinely routed out and plugged. I guess the problem is, if you try and tax the wealthy, they have the money to retaliate politically. Considering the SCOTUS rulling on corporate fundraising for political ads as free speech, aren't you worried?
ReplyDeleteAs society changes and if the taxes do have the result of diminishing smoking, then it's time for the legislature to take another look. It's a built-in mechanism for tweaking the system.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that loopholes in the tax code should be filled in. It disgusts me that the wealthy CEO class who plunged this country into the Great Recession are paying less taxes, per capita, than some of my pro bono single parent clients.