A Half-Penny to the Rescue!
Owen Robinson's editorial today that's posted at WisOpinion gave me a great idea for helping to save the Milwaukee County parks. Why not add a half-penny sales tax on goods in the county?
Such a move has, according to Robinson's figures, generated $49.4 million for Washington County since 1999 alone. That's about $7 million per year. And that's for Washington County. Imagine how much could be generated to save our parks from sales in Milwaukee County. With the parks budget shortfall only at $2.3 million last year, we could probably even make the sales tax a quarter or eighth of a penny.
I mean, who would really notice a quarter of a penny sales tax? No big deal.
I know what conservatives will say--the quarter-penny sales tax increase is a gateway tax that'll undoubtedly lead to half-penny tax increases, which'll then lead to the all-so-addicting penny tax. At that point we just won't be able to stop ourselves. We'll probably start to put a tax on our income tax refunds just so we can feed our sales tax habit. We should just say no.
Why say no, though, when it feels so right to say yes? Some may call me a tax pusher, but I prefer the title public revenue generator. Just give me the money, and I'll provide the grass...maintenance services our parks so desperately need.
Come on. You know you want to try it.
Such a move has, according to Robinson's figures, generated $49.4 million for Washington County since 1999 alone. That's about $7 million per year. And that's for Washington County. Imagine how much could be generated to save our parks from sales in Milwaukee County. With the parks budget shortfall only at $2.3 million last year, we could probably even make the sales tax a quarter or eighth of a penny.
I mean, who would really notice a quarter of a penny sales tax? No big deal.
I know what conservatives will say--the quarter-penny sales tax increase is a gateway tax that'll undoubtedly lead to half-penny tax increases, which'll then lead to the all-so-addicting penny tax. At that point we just won't be able to stop ourselves. We'll probably start to put a tax on our income tax refunds just so we can feed our sales tax habit. We should just say no.
Why say no, though, when it feels so right to say yes? Some may call me a tax pusher, but I prefer the title public revenue generator. Just give me the money, and I'll provide the grass...maintenance services our parks so desperately need.
Come on. You know you want to try it.
posted by Seth Zlotocha at Thursday, February 09, 2006
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