"We cut the state
income tax rate and balanced the budget" is the brag from a governor on the
Presidential prowl and from the legislature's leaders.
What is not
mentioned is the subterfuge behind the brag. Let us count the ways.
1. Reducing the tax
sharing (local government funds) by 50% to cities, counties and
townships.
2. Eliminating the
estate tax
3. Items one and two
are forcing many cities and villages to ask their voters for
additional tax revenue to replace this lost revenue.
4. The state is
increasing taxes on new levies by12.5%
5. Increasing the
rate and adding taxable items of a regressive sales tax.
6. Increasing
property taxes on many seniors by 25%
7. Giving counties a
share of casino revenue and the option to share with municipal
governments.
(Counties are not
sharing)
8. Creating a
convoluted semi-casino called racinos but is not sharing the revenue
with local governments with the exception of cities where the racinos
are located. Wait, this just out in the Dayton newspaper
The city of Dayton
will be limited to a pair of $500,000 racino payments instead of
annual payments it had expected in perpetuity because of its status
as a racino host city.
The compromise was
part of the $71.2 billion state budget bill signed last week by Gov.
John Kasich. It calls for payments to six host racino cities or
townships for two years only.
Paul Hunter
budhunter@frontier.com
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