2 posts tagged “taxes”

I am completely blown away by our Governor's ability to get a tax hike approved, in the current economic malaise of the State of Michigan.

This state's economic climate continues to go down the tubes.  Jobs have been lost, and not replaced.  Businesses have closed up shop and moved elsewhere -- some of them big, some small.  Some have closed up shop, period.  Most families in this state -- those whose wage-earners are not already employed by the government in some capacity --  have suffered through some combination of job losses or at least flat income.  We've had to do some belt-tightening over the past few years.  -- Including my family, yes.  Oh, and my parents too, yes, as small-business owners.

I've really been hoping that employees of our government would see that, and perhaps, just perhaps, join us in that belt-tightening effort.  (Silly me!)

I've been hoping that they will somehow wake up to the realization that the private sector is the engine that drives wealth creation and makes it possible to PAY for the government and all its services.   -- And all their salaries.  -- And that engine is severely red-lining these days.  Back off on the throttle, PLEASE. 

But, no, it appears the public sector just cannot bring it upon themselves to share our pain.

That's why I'm appalled.

Here's why I'm terrified: 

Even if I WANTED to find a new job -- and I may have to, whether I want to or not, with the way the auto industry is going -- my husband's an automotive engineer --

I have serious doubts that I could FIND another job around here, just now.

And even if I found a job elsewhere --

I could not afford to move!

That's right, there are already four houses for sale in my neighborhood, what with Pfizer pulling up stakes this past year, and they've been for sale forever and they're not budging.

I doubt we could even get our purchase price back on this house right now.

And our illustrious Governor just made the business climate in this state EVEN WORSE.  Increased personal income tax, increased sales tax, and oh yeah, a small-business tax.

I just have to scratch my head and wonder, what planet is she living on? 

I guess, the one where you can just keep heaping burdens on an already stressed economy, and magically, new tax revenue will appear.  The one where, if you're losing jobs out of your state in a flood that makes Noah look dry, you tax the remaining people MORE, and you tax the remaining businesses MORE, and that's supposed to make everything BETTER!! 

Right, THAT planet!!  Silly me. 

It really puzzles me how someone with so little grasp of basic economics could be elected Governor.  Even worse is my suspicion that maybe she DOES understand economics, but chooses to ignore them.  To pander to her base; bread and circuses for everyone!  To keep herself in power.

-- To the detriment of our state.  To the very REAL economic insecurity of myself and my family.  At this point, it's personal.

To me, it's as if she just decided to step off the top of our State Capitol building, in the hope that, magically, the law of gravity will be repealed for her convenience. 

The laws of economics are just as real as the laws of gravity.

 

At least on the planet where I live.  

I swear, I'd run for Governor myself if I thought I stood the least chance of getting elected.

I could not possibly be any LESS qualified than our current Governor is.

Herewith, my thoughts on taxes:

I tend to be a low-tax, simple-tax kind of gal.  I was ready to vote for Steve Forbes for president simply on the basis of his "flat tax - postcard filing" proposal.  Bummer he withdrew before the primaries.

I'm deeply, deeply suspicious of Big Government.  My default position is, Most things the government can do, private enterprise or private charity can do better. 

Note that I didn't say "any" thing, I said "most."  Where one draws the line between "any" and "most" -- ah, therein lies ample room for reasonable people to disagree! 

Basically, I trust people.  I trust people to figure out what works for them, more so than I trust Big Government to figure it out on their behalf. 

For those people who, in their upbringing, were not given the life-skills and tools to do this, I support training and development opportunities.  And I support support - moral, emotional, and otherwise - while they are learning these skills.  I believe private charity is more effective at supplying these.