Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Sales tax

I'm glad I can't vote back in Cedar Rapids next week.  I hate the sales tax.  It's regressive - meaning it hurts the poor much harder than the rich - and it hurts local businesses as people are more likely to shop online or elsewhere. 

If I lived in CR I'd probably vote for it because there is no good alternative.  That's unfortunate because there are good alternatives.

An income tax surcharge could raise money without burdening the poor...

The Gazette has a story today about what happens if the sales tax doesn't pass.  Put simply:  It won't be pretty.

2 comments:

  1. What ever happened to the last sales tax hike we saw? I believe I saw them bitching about the schools needing money on one of the crappy channels between 9 and 22 the other day. Seems that tax hike was a big waste of time.

    It seems for cedar rapids being as big as it is, and having the tax rates it does, it has little to no money. Is there just massive mismanagement or what?

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  2. I voted NO. Until and unless our band of losers can stop hiring consultants and account for the poor handling of just about everything including money, I am not voting yes to anything they ask for. I apologize in advance to those who lost their homes to the floods. If the measure fails, I am partly to blame. But I sadly lack confidence that the money will go where it is supposed to go in spite of what they say.

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