Something’s got to give.
Americans simply cannot continue to fund huge government at the rate that we have set in recent years, and still expect to have a competitive place in the world markets.
It’s just not going to happen.
The day and age of bloated government piling up debt and calling it “economic development” has come and gone.
Now we need to try something new, and at the state level, more and more officials are looking at cutting taxes to encourage business.
The Associated Press noted: “A year after Republicans swept into office across the country, many have trained their sights on what has long been a fiscal conservative’s dream: the steep reduction or even outright elimination of state income taxes.
“The idea has circulated among academics and think-tank researchers for years. But it’s moving quietly into mainstream political discourse, despite the fact that such sweeping changes would almost certainly mean a total rewiring of tax systems at a time when most states are still struggling in the aftermath of the recession.
“Emboldened by that success, the party has launched income tax efforts in Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina. But it’s not clear how all those states would make up for the lost revenue, and Rueben said she’s not aware of any state in modern history that has eliminated an income tax.
“Nine states already get by without an income tax, mostly by tapping other sources of revenue. Nevada and Florida rely on sales taxes that target the tourism industry. Alaska has taxes on natural resources, and Texas imposes substantial property taxes. The other five states are: New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wyoming.”
It should go without saying that part of the success of this movement will also involve government spending less, just as the private sector had to do over the past 30 years.
In a benevolent environment that has been accomplished by not replacing people when they retired or quit.
In more “active” instances, people just came to work and found out they didn’t have a job any more.
We all remember when that was common coffee shop discussion around this area.
It wasn’t a pleasant part of working in the private sector. It’s still not. But it had become a fact of life and it needs to become one in the public sector as well.
Why?
Because something’s got to give.
— Chuck Smith