I haven’t started a good messy fight in a while, so I thought why not now?
I’m getting emails so often about the state budget, trying to make it seem like Armageddon if someone has to pay an extra court cost or a few dimes more for a fifth of Jack Daniels.
Sorry, that’s not the same as raising taxes in the minds of the public.
I don’t favor going fee crazy either. That’s the nuttiness that creates abuser fees for speeding tickets. But the bottom line is this: Most people see fees and taxes as different things. It’s the truth, and it’s backed up by every poll I’ve ever seen.
If government’s getting the money is all that is required for something to be called a tax, then the lottery is a tax, and when a scratch ticket price goes up another buck, Americans for Prosperity can attack legislators for the massive tax increase.
And everyone will laugh at them.
Take transportation. Every poll will say tolls are more preferable than taxes when building a new road. Why? Most people won’t have to pay a toll. Don’t drive the road (and most won’t), don’t pay for it.
Studies show that 2/3rds of the voters in Hampton Roads don’t regularly travel between the Southside and the Peninsula. So, building a Third Crossing with a tax increase fails with about a 2/3rds no vote. Surprised? Build it with tolls? Giant levels of support.
It’s why cigarette taxes are met with very little voter opposition. 70% of people don’t smoke. Red light cameras are supported by vast majorities, because most people don’t run red lights.
So, when the General Assembly says no to increased income taxes, and no to increased sales taxes, and rightly so, an email from Americans from Prosperity talking about the economy-collapsing effects of an 18-cent phone fee, I start to roll my eyes and wish they read “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” when they were younger.
I know we’re against taxes and all, but are we to believe that Virginians would be driven to economic ruin over paying another $2.16 a year in a phone bill? I’m against drowning, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take a shower.
The hyperbole is on both sides. Rolling back government spending to 2006 levels isn’t exactly throwing teachers out on the streets either, so the teachers’ unions can save their email blasts, too.
In fact, I invite any teacher who is unhappy with the prospects of teaching in Virginia to warm up that resume and test the job market out in the private sector. I’m sure you’ll find it lovely.
Bottom line – It’s a very tough economy, and 100 Delegates, 40 Senators, and a very good Governor are trying to hold things together while putting some things in place to get the economy moving again. If a few fees are part of getting us to that point, I’ll be the first one calling for their repeal when the economy improves, but I’m not going to scream about a 99% victory as if it was a 1% defeat.
And I’m not going to lessen the effectiveness of real critiques by crying wolf constantly. We’ve already won a major victory, in that a very partisan Democrat Senate crossed off income taxes and sales taxes despite many efforts by Senators to increase them.
We’ll soon see if the House and Senate can agree on a state budget. I hope they can. I also hope that those who benefit from complaining the loudest on both sides can chill a bit. We only get a budget if both sides agree. No one’s getting everything they want.
Let’s let the McDonnell and Bolling work at turning the state economy around, which is the reason they were elected. Success in that will lead to fixing any budget imperfections in the next session.
Now….fire away!
