Don’t Feed the Sharks!

Many Republicans, who once opposed raising taxes, are justifying their anticipated vote to increase taxes on the natural gas industry (it’s not a FEE to pay for uncompensated costs…something we support) by claiming that if they don’t vote for this now, the tax will only get worse.

We heard this before when Republicans helped Ed Rendell pass a 10% increase in the Personal Income Tax in 2003.  How’d that work for them?  They ended up passing even more taxes in the following years!

So, Don’t Feed the Sharks!  The tax will never be enough.  The idea you are “getting it done” is wrong.  You won’t be done at all as the tax-eaters will be back again next year looking for another increase!

Take, for example, the following taxes that were supposed to “get it done” but have only skyrocketed!

• The state Sales & Use Tax first appeared in 1954 at the rate of 1%, but increased by 500% over the next 14 years to its current rate of 6%.
• Lawmakers then added the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax in 1968, as consumers started complaining about increases in the sales tax, then doubled its rate over the next 14 years.
• Policymakers added the Personal Income Tax in 1971 at the rate of 2.3%, which has increased 35% since then, to its current rate of 3.07%.
• State government also implemented the Inheritance Tax in 1971 which began taxing the estates of the recently deceased.
• In 2002, the state began taxing cell phone use for the first time under the Gross Receipts Tax and increased the Cigarette Tax by over 300%.
• In 2009, Governor Rendell got yet another increase of the Cigarette Tax.

Don’t Feed the Sharks!