 By Jim Wingren August 10, 2006
I agree with him that sales tax is a very regressive tax, and those who can least afford it pay a good portion of the taxes that are collected. In my early years on the City council I attempted to have the Sales Tax committee, a joint Boro Assembly/City Council Committee, to address sales tax as a whole and to try and make it more equitable for everybody. I never could get the committee or either government to even broach the subject. My idea was to remove sales taxes from residentual rents & basic food items thereby putting more money into the pockets of residents that then could have been spent by them on other goods and services within the community. I believe that now, with the proposed tax increases, is a great opportunity to look at the total sales tax picture and totally rework them. On the funding of the White Cliff project, and involvement by the City, it has been my experience that as soon as people are elected to the Boro Assembly they forget that the residents of the City are also Boro residents and pay the same Boro taxes as everybody else, as well as City imposed taxes, which are to be spent on City projects. The fact that White Cliff is located within the City Limits shouldn't make any difference, it is still a "Boro" project, it is the "Boro" who has the area wide powers, not the city, and all residents of the Boro will benefit from this project, not just City residents. Besides the city has all ready provided, I believe, in excess of 1/2 million dollars in funding that was used in planning efforts for a "Arts Center". Finally, Why should "City Residents" be penalized into more than their fair share of funding because the City Government has showed physical restraint and has built up reserves while the Boro Government has squandered theirs? Jim Wingren Related Viewpoint:
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