- Jun 13, 2004
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To preface, I don't like taxes as much as the next person, but what is being proposed (and SUPPORTED by many in my county) could rank up there as one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.
About a year ago, my county (Allegheny County, Pennsylvania -- the one housing Pittsburgh and its immediate suburbs) enacted a "Drink Tax" to help keep our public transit system from completely collapsing. It is rather steep (10% + 7% sales tax added to any alcoholic drink purchased in a bar) and has a bunch of bars and people up in arms. Businesses, especially those situated down the street from a neighboring county, have been complaining of lost business and what not, but the majority of them have had an immeasurable loss in the last year (as taken from the news).
Fast forward to yesterday-- the county council approved a measure to be put on the ballot in November: Either keep the drink tax, or eliminate the drink tax for a rise in property tax (between 10%-20%).
I can usually wrap my head around things, but this logic COMPLETELY baffles me. The tax is inevitable, but taxing something that affects EVERYONE MORE instead of just people that partake in what some may call entertaining and unnecessary activities just seems completely outlandish. Watching the interviews of people on the news last night made me cringe at the complete stupidity of these supporters. Granted, a rise in property taxes doesn't affect the 35-years-old-and-still-living-in-mommy's-basement crowd as much as the extra $.20 on a beer does, but still you'd think these people would have even a tiny bit of common sense.
About a year ago, my county (Allegheny County, Pennsylvania -- the one housing Pittsburgh and its immediate suburbs) enacted a "Drink Tax" to help keep our public transit system from completely collapsing. It is rather steep (10% + 7% sales tax added to any alcoholic drink purchased in a bar) and has a bunch of bars and people up in arms. Businesses, especially those situated down the street from a neighboring county, have been complaining of lost business and what not, but the majority of them have had an immeasurable loss in the last year (as taken from the news).
Fast forward to yesterday-- the county council approved a measure to be put on the ballot in November: Either keep the drink tax, or eliminate the drink tax for a rise in property tax (between 10%-20%).
I can usually wrap my head around things, but this logic COMPLETELY baffles me. The tax is inevitable, but taxing something that affects EVERYONE MORE instead of just people that partake in what some may call entertaining and unnecessary activities just seems completely outlandish. Watching the interviews of people on the news last night made me cringe at the complete stupidity of these supporters. Granted, a rise in property taxes doesn't affect the 35-years-old-and-still-living-in-mommy's-basement crowd as much as the extra $.20 on a beer does, but still you'd think these people would have even a tiny bit of common sense.
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