Lawmakers in at least two areas of the state are sponsoring legislation to save their county areas from any occupation tax, like the one that has won approval today and will save Jefferson County from going down the (sewer) drain. Yesterday it was bills by members from the Montgomery area. Today the story is about Rep. Zeb Little "protecting" Madison County voters. But its a sham, just self-serving sabre rattling by legislators to use in re-election ads. The legislature could undo the prohibition just as quickly as they put it in place. All the bills do is put up a paper anti-tax wall that can be turned into a campaign ad. Even if they were able to convince the entire house to approve a constitutional amendment (yet another one!) prohibiting occupational taxes, it would have to be approved by voters statewide, and it too could later be undone.
We get it, Mr. and Ms. legislator, you hate taxes. I don't know anyone who's in love with 'em. But how else do you propose governments pay for their services? And just what do you propose to do to prevent bankruptcy in Jefferson County without a new revenue source?
[UPDATE: Democrat Ken Guin intended to vote against the tax, but he was home sick, and a neighbor-legislator on the House floor accidentally voted on his machine for the tax. And why did Guin vote at all, since he is not a Jefco legislator? Same excuse, reports the Montgomery Advertiser..."a lot" of his constituents" work in Jefferson County. So if there's a proposal for a sale tax increase in Jefco, he could vote on it too? Or a crime initiative? Slippery slope.]
[ADDENDUM: another blog --Flashpoint-- wonders about who killed one of those bills, HB5, which would have blocked occupational taxes in Madison County.]
You got this one bass-ackwards, Tim.
ReplyDeleteLittle killed the bill intro'd by Hinshaw.
Little, your readers may recall, is the open beer container, DUI, hit-and-run senator from Cullman, whom received the kid-glove treatment for his aforementioned crimes.
However, your point is well taken that laws change.
But maybe we could ask the other states with no income tax how they run their state.
We could start with our next-door neighbors, Tennessee and Florida.
Moving on over, we could talk to Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Washington, Alaska and New Hampshire - none of which levy personal income taxes.
Having worked most of my career in JeffCo - and I pay a state fee for my professional license - my income was taken from me without my consent, I received nothing of value in return, and I had no representation in government.
JeffCo got the gold mine, I got the shaft.
Still, having all that money, those incompetents have yet managed to muck up the whole city and county. Merely throwing money at a problem is worthless... as worthless as the Tragic City and JeffCo.