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Communities reap tax windfalls
(by Dave Lange - January 20, 2011)
COUNTY LINE, BY DAVE LANGE
Communities reap tax windfalls
"I'm celebrating the election of our new governor, John Kasich, who's going to kill the death tax first and then go after the repressive income taxes that have caused so many businesses to leave Ohio, so you must be crying in your beer."
It was my old pal, Mush Limburger, on the line. Actually, Mush, I probably would be crying in my beer -- if I had to buy it in Cuyahoga County, where predominantly affluent suburban voters imposed a so-called sin tax back in the 1990s to build a fancy stadium and arena for millionaires.
"There you go right off the bat with your class-warfare malarkey. It's not just wealthy people who get cheated out of their hard-earned money by you liberals and your taxes."
You know, Mush, the inheritance tax only applies in Ohio to estates over $338,000, so few working-class people are affected by it. Unlike the sin tax, which is mostly paid by working stiffs to benefit rich athletes and suburbanites who can afford overpriced tickets to watch ball games, the estate tax is paid by heirs who didn't do anything to earn the money.
"Well, the socialistic government, which wants to take money away from the rich and give it to the poor, didn't do anything to earn it either."
You got me, there, Mush, and I happen to agree with you and Gov. Kasich about repealing the estate tax. Eighty percent of that money goes to the governments of cities, villages and townships where the deceased were living before they died. So guess who benefits most from estate taxes. People like you who live in upper-income communities like Bainbridge, Chagrin Falls, Gates Mills, Hunting Valley, Moreland Hills and Pepper Pike.
"Hallelujah! I think you're finally beginning to see the conservative light."
Absolutely, Mush. We don't want a bunch of rich, dead people worrying about their money being wasted on parks in Bainbridge and Munson, preserving vast open spaces in Hunting Valley, building a new service department in Orange Village or picking up residents' rubbish in Pepper Pike.
"All right, then, I'm sure a tax-and-spend liberal like you must be whining over the governor's plan to phase out the state income tax."
I'm not sure what makes money shufflers like you think working people like me enjoy paying taxes, Mush. If Gov. Kasich and his fellow Republicans in the legislature can reduce my income taxes while maintaining indispensable state services, more power to them.
"As you must know, it was your liberal pals in Columbus 40 years ago who created the state income tax to begin with."
That certainly is true, Mush. But the state has had three Republican governors for a total of 24 years since that time, all of whom continued to rely on income taxes to balance their budgets. Not only that, but the mayors of cities and villages throughout the state, more Republicans than Democrats, are only too happy to grab their share of people's incomes, much of it taxation without representation on low-paid workers.
"So what are you trying to say, my fellow tax protester?"
My point, Mush, is that prosperous communities shouldn't benefit inordinately from estate taxes that are based on their residents' wealth or income taxes from people who work within their borders but often live in poor neighborhoods elsewhere. All citizens should be entitled to the same quality of government services, no matter where they happen to live.
"That doesn't sound very fair."
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