12/20/04
Here we are at the end of another year of tax increases in the Ithaca area.
More spending and higher taxes -- again. Maybe just a small increase in the mortgage tax, maybe another slight increase in the sales tax, or how about a brand new county income tax? We promise it will be small and will only "target" a select group anyway.
New York's combined state and local tax burden is currently the highest in the United States, and has consistently ranked as the very highest.
Since 1970, New York has been ranked first on that list 24 times, and it made second place 11 times. No ranking as third or better since 1970. And, our state tax on gasoline is the highest in the country. See the Web site www.tax foundation.org.
Are we taxed enough yet? Where are the lawn signs declaring "No New Taxes?" Perhaps it is time for a new taxpayer organization in Tompkins County.
In some small cities in the U.S., libertarians and other fed-up taxpayers have organized and passed initiatives which require local governments to limit tax increases to a very low rate of, say 1 percent.
That is of course, unless the voters approve of a greater increase, but they rarely do. Or, we could simply pass an initiative to allow us the choice on our tax bills to opt-out of any increase over 1 percent.
Do you wonder how many of us would check off the "tax me more" box? Like placing limits on a young child by a busy street, it seems time to limit the growth of local taxes and government with lawful fiscal restraint, for the good of our families and our community.
Brian Sullivan
City of Ithaca
