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Alabama Tax Vote
Sep. 8th, 2003 10:11 pm1. I'm a libertarian
2. I loved living in Tennessee and Texas - both lacking state income taxes
3. I hated Missouri/St. Louis where everything seemed to be taxed to a huge extent and to such confusing complication that I was even scratching my head at the Turbo Tax version of the state tax form.
4. I know how stupid and misguided Alabama politicians are (see Judge Moore of 10 Comm fame as an excellent example).
5. I know that Alabama sucks in many governmental ways.
6. Education has squat support in the state.
On these points is where my personal struggle on the vote tomorrow begins. When I first moved back into the state, I applauded the effort to make a big change to the tax system in the state (bigger deductions for dependents, shift in tax burden, and the emphasis on education). I was leaning towards voting "yes," but wanted to do more research. After a couple of months, I really wished I could vote "yes" but found too many problems with the plan to agree with it. One of my primary concerns is exactly what the "no" folks have been harping about...that the money isn't really earmarked for what all of the proposals are for. There isn't accountability for what future legislatures will do with all of these additional millions. I can just see school money being used to put 10 Comm monuments in front of all state schools or some other silliness. However, it seems that the state actually suffers from overly earmarking money. About 90% of the money that goes to Montgomery is already earmarked...by far the largest amount in the nation. So, I start to wonder if earmarking the money would really do good on this when it seems to have done little/no good in past budgets.
I think the optimist is starting to overcome the cynic. Which would I rather trust the Bama politicians with: properly allocating the additional tax dollars or properly cutting the few state agencies in order to make up for the current $650 million deficit? True, under the tax plan, I will be paying less in taxes than I would if it isn't passed. But I don't feel that I should vote because of my personal gain. I should vote for what is actually good for the state.
I just don't see Alabama taking a leap of faith to make itself a better state. The lottery (with its tendency for a larger poor participation and dwindling returns after the introductory years) was probably best off being defeated, but will things really be so bad if this passes?
Right now, at 10pm Central, I think I'm going to vote "yes." I fear that tax paranoia may trump the financial needs of the state, but Goat Hill has given the citizens of Alabama little reason to believe them. Is it stupid to take a leap of faith in them and vote for this?
2. I loved living in Tennessee and Texas - both lacking state income taxes
3. I hated Missouri/St. Louis where everything seemed to be taxed to a huge extent and to such confusing complication that I was even scratching my head at the Turbo Tax version of the state tax form.
4. I know how stupid and misguided Alabama politicians are (see Judge Moore of 10 Comm fame as an excellent example).
5. I know that Alabama sucks in many governmental ways.
6. Education has squat support in the state.
On these points is where my personal struggle on the vote tomorrow begins. When I first moved back into the state, I applauded the effort to make a big change to the tax system in the state (bigger deductions for dependents, shift in tax burden, and the emphasis on education). I was leaning towards voting "yes," but wanted to do more research. After a couple of months, I really wished I could vote "yes" but found too many problems with the plan to agree with it. One of my primary concerns is exactly what the "no" folks have been harping about...that the money isn't really earmarked for what all of the proposals are for. There isn't accountability for what future legislatures will do with all of these additional millions. I can just see school money being used to put 10 Comm monuments in front of all state schools or some other silliness. However, it seems that the state actually suffers from overly earmarking money. About 90% of the money that goes to Montgomery is already earmarked...by far the largest amount in the nation. So, I start to wonder if earmarking the money would really do good on this when it seems to have done little/no good in past budgets.
I think the optimist is starting to overcome the cynic. Which would I rather trust the Bama politicians with: properly allocating the additional tax dollars or properly cutting the few state agencies in order to make up for the current $650 million deficit? True, under the tax plan, I will be paying less in taxes than I would if it isn't passed. But I don't feel that I should vote because of my personal gain. I should vote for what is actually good for the state.
I just don't see Alabama taking a leap of faith to make itself a better state. The lottery (with its tendency for a larger poor participation and dwindling returns after the introductory years) was probably best off being defeated, but will things really be so bad if this passes?
Right now, at 10pm Central, I think I'm going to vote "yes." I fear that tax paranoia may trump the financial needs of the state, but Goat Hill has given the citizens of Alabama little reason to believe them. Is it stupid to take a leap of faith in them and vote for this?
