[Vision2020] ID taxes

[heirdoug at netscape.net]

Mark,

I will at this time only talk about one item you mentioned. You said 
"take paying legislator's salaries as an example".

I think a lot, an awful lot, of problems would change if this were the 
first thing that was repealed. If the legislators were so concerned 
about the well being of our community, let them voulenteer after 
getting elected. When did making laws become big business. Or better 
yet let them pay for the opportunity to serve us. The monies to go into 
the general fund and pay for the buildings they want to "serve" in.

Now that would be limited government!

Doug

-----Original Message-----
From: msolomon at moscow.com
To: heirdoug at netscape.net; vision2020 at moscow.com
Sent: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] ID taxes

Doug, 
 
I too question the personal property tax and grumble as I pay it 
annually on the equipment I use in my own business. But until they 
eliminate the many sales tax exemptions on much of the same equipment, 
or to put it another way, the sales tax exemptions on equipment for 
businesses with the right lobbyist connections, we're stuck with it. 
 
The worst part of all that is the local governments who should be 
receiving the benefit of the local sales tax income from those exempted 
sales are then stuck by the Legislature with being forced to collect it 
via personal property taxes. It stinks. 
 
Note the word "generally" in my original post re user-based taxes (or 
fees as some like to call them). Not all governmental services lend 
themselves to such an approach (take paying legislator's salaries as an 
example). That's why it's called the General Fund at the state, county 
and city budgeting levels. 
 
I'm a strong believer that a person appreciates a governmental service 
more if one has contributed to paying for it. It's called participatory 
government. I also believe that in the ideal world without tax 
attorneys and regulatory loopholes the progressive income tax is the 
fairest tax as it's based on the ability to pay not the need to provide 
food, clothing and shelter for one's family. 
 
Mark 
 
At 12:47 PM -0500 11/17/06, heirdoug at netscape.net wrote: 
>Mark, 
> 
>Which taxes do you think are ok for public services? How about the 
 >personal property usage tax? That wonderful tax on restaurant 
 >equipment each year by the county for my being able to use the 
>equipment. 
> 
>Do you think this tax is ok? 
> 
>And could you define "user-based". If one does not "use" should one be 
taxed? 
> 
>Do you think that only the rich should be taxed and not the poor? 
> 
>Doug! 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 
>------- 
> 
>While I generally support user-based taxation schemes, the proposal 
>below adds insult to the injury of the Risch/GOP Idaho tax-the-poor 
>taxation "reform". The sales tax is the most regressive tax. Given 
>the sales tax loopholes already in place for ag and timber, once 
>again the Idaho GOP will be disproportionately sticking it to those 
>who can least afford it. All so we can build a highway from Boise to 
>Dirk's retirement home, among other dubious road projects. 
> 
>Mark S. 
>________________________________________________________________________
 
>Check Out the new free AIM(R) Mail -- 2 GB of storage and 
>industry-leading spam and email virus protection. 
 


________________________________________________________________________
Check Out the new free AIM(R) Mail -- 2 GB of storage and 
industry-leading spam and email virus protection.