Two arguments against higher sales tax in RockCo

Apparently this mindset is working its way around Rockingham County, as reported by a young woman regarding one of the current candidates for county commissioner:

“(he said he) is for the raise in taxes because it is sales or estate taxes that will be raised, and “at least the influx of Hispanics will have to pay sales tax, after all they have to eat and shop too”  He intimated that, ‘Those who have lived here and established and owned property will be hit fairly and not disproportionately’.  “

So we kicked around some good ways to counter such an argument and this is what we came up with:

Our first argument:

People are making the wrong premises and asking the wrong questions.  The premise is that there needs to be more money raised through more taxes.  Reducing spending and limiting government is not an option that many people seem to be able, or willing, to consider.  If there is a problem, more government is the avenue to solve it, they think.  So the question becomes, what method is best to raise taxes?  Once they are at that point, then the higher sales tax is deemed better than higher property tax.  Ultimately, they get both… but they can always argue the property tax could be even higher.
 
Virtually all Democrats, and an increasing number of Republicans, have forgotten the principles of limited government. 
 
A government dominated society that has tried to cure its problems through more government has never been able to tax and spend itself into prosperity and liberty. But, we keep trying.

Our second argument:

The point is that no tax increase is needed at all and anyone that makes excuses for why to tax is missing that point. We must do two things, 1)promote buying in Rockingham County to increase our sales tax revenue without raising taxes and 2) cut the county budget because it has room for cutting. By promoting any kind of a new tax (the candidate) is buying into the idea that there are no other ways to develop revenue and save money.  If we keep raising sales taxes more businesses will chose to not locate in this county.

Vote NO to Local Sales and Use Tax on May 6.

Remember, it’s your money. Are you really under taxed?

Reader sees tax hike as inevitable

In my opinion, they’re going to raise taxes - somehow, some way, some time. At least with a sales tax, everybody bears the burden, not just the property owners. No, they won’t cut the property tax, but if they pass this local option sales tax increase, they’ll have a much tougher time raising the property taxes, too. Not that they probably won’t try.
The most encouraging sign here is that Mr. Robinson is proposing to (finally!) trim the size of county government by eliminating actual positions. This is an important precedent, and I think it makes far more sense to force him do this via a bargain on the sales tax:  we’ll give you the splost, but you must cut all the positions you proposed plus impose the other measures you proposed to reduce the county’s expenditures.
Finally, there is real danger in the just-say-no approach: if the county lets certain mandated programs fall short, the state/feds will impose a solution. At least with the splost, we get a voice.
I’m not for higher taxes, but as a property owner, I’m eternally hostage to the tax and spend crowd. At least with a sales tax, I have the option of getting in the car and shopping somewhere else. If enough business go under here, maybe these county officials will finally get the picture and scale the whole enterprise back to fit the actual economic circumstances in Rockingham County.
I’m voting yes on the sales tax increase, but I applaud your efforts to raise everyone’s awareness on the tax issues here.

P.T. Deutermann