State tax reform often means transfer

Published January 15, 2016

Editorial by Rocky Mount Telegram, January 14, 2016.

The conservative Tax Foundation has lauded North Carolina’s reform effort in recent years to reduce personal and corporate income taxes. And while the reductions have received plenty of attention, the state has to draw money from somewhere – hence, more fees on license plates and titles and the broadening of sales tax to include services, as well as products.

Gov. Pat McCrory has embraced the change, saying the lower income tax rates make North Carolina more competitive with other states when it comes to landing new businesses and industries. He also likes to tell audiences that the changes have put more money in the the pockets of hard-working North Carolinians.

But if we’re more competitive, where are the big companies to show for that edge? The biggest plums in industrial recruiting – large-scale manufacturers such as automakers and aeronautics plants – continue to land in neighboring states like Georgia and South Carolina.

It has been a long time since North Carolina lawmakers have reeled in a prize that big – and even longer since one has landed in Eastern North Carolina.

Meanwhile, hard-working North Carolinians see a small increase in their paychecks, but often find themselves paying more in sales taxes and state fees.

The Tax Foundation likes to call those changes reform. But maybe transfer would be a better word.

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/opinion/our-views/state-tax-reform-often-means-8216transfer8217-3112621

January 15, 2016 at 10:44 am
bruce stanley says:

Sour grapes from the Rocky Mount Telegram. Since 2013 NC tax reform, the job participation rate is up, GDP is up, and wages are up. I'f i"m poor, which would I rather have, a job, higher wage (of which I get to keep more), more opportunity in a better economy, or........not having to pay sales tax on movies, etc.

January 16, 2016 at 2:17 pm
Norm Kelly says:

So, exactly what is the socialist party's alternative? What is it that Roy would bring to the table? What's new in the socialist party playbook?

Nothing new.

No alternative.

Roy brings nothing.

The socialist playbook. Penalize success. Raise taxes. Raise spending. Pit groups of people against each other. Financially if possible, by skin color if nothing else presents itself. Refer to white men who vote as 'angry white men'. Decide that certain people groups are 'special' and provide special government benefits for those groups. Penalize those NOT in the special groups to pay for the benefits of the special people.

Continue to implement government regulations that make it harder for business to do business here. Then, as part of the same scheme, since businesses don't really want to move here, offer 'incentives' to entice those businesses to move here, even if for a limited time (like until the 'incentives' expire!).

Will Roy & other socialist pols bring us back to the days of lib pols that aren't that distant in our past? Will lib pols, including Roy, expand government programs? Will lib pols, including Roy, bring us back to continuously expanding government benefits (unemployment payments) that require the state to take a loan from central planners? You know, kinda like the libs did to us when Bev was gov, where they had no plan for payback AND had the idea to extend it again & again!

What's the scheme libs will bring to our state to improve ANYTHING? I use the word 'scheme' on purpose because lib pols have proven time & again they don't have ideas. And when they can't get their schemes passed through legislation, those same lib pols use judges they appoint to force their schemes upon us. Cuz everyone just knows that even if rejected by a majority, the average lib scheme is just so good that it MUST be implemented. Then evaluation of their schemes is NEVER allowed, cuz the other truth about libs is that they don't like facts & figures, and they don't accept their schemes being evaluated for effectiveness. Lib schemes are not effective, they are 'touchy feely' schemes where they can say 'at least we did something'. Kinda like the occupier's scheme to restrict gun ownership knowing that his scheme will have no affect on gun violence! But at least he can say 'i did something' and his lib pol buddies can claim they support his scheme in an effort to pull the wool over a sufficient number of voters eyes to get reelected. Do nothing, but claim excellence! The typical mantra of libs.

Oh, and I almost forgot. How about the lib scheme to blame Pat for the coal ash spill that was CREATED by lib pols? You know, the N&D told us that coal ash ponds were KNOWN to have been leaking for decades, but it is Pat who is to blame. Who exactly ruled Raleigh for decades? Yup. Libs. Who KNEW that the coal ash ponds were leaking FOR DECADES and let it slide? Yup. Right again. Libs! Another case of libs want their lies to be accepted as truth. And ignorant fools such as the buffet slayer Barber simply accept whatever his allies in the lib party spew! Then the buffet slayer repeats it to his incapable followers, who refuse to learn the truth. His incapable followers who can't identify themselves to vote but CAN identify themselves to get a prescription at the drug store. What's the difference here? Prescription scheme implemented by libs, so acceptable. Voting rights laws implemented by Republicans, therefore BAD! Same idea, except voting rights are MUCH much much more important and critical than preventing anyone from getting the wrong prescription at the drug store!