Spokane7
65°
October 1, 2010 in Opinion
Editorial: Tax on candy, pop imperfect, but needed
Initiative 1107 would repeal tax levies imposed on candy, soda pop and bottled water by the Washington Legislature to help close the budget gap
Proponents of the initiative isolate the taxes and ask if they are fair.
No tax is when disconnected from budgetary reality. Why tax property? Why tax gasoline? Why tax TV sales? It’s because government needs revenue to deliver services.
So why not cut services? Plenty of services will be slashed in the aftermath of the Legislature’s cuts in the spring, and more cuts lie ahead to close a $4.5 billion revenue shortfall. Services were also cut in two previous rounds of budget cutting.
For instance, the Department of Social and Health Services announced on Wednesday spending cuts of $168 million, which will result in the elimination of 380 jobs. In addition, workers already facing 10 furlough days will get two more tacked on. The cuts are on top of the 2,000 positions the agency has slashed in the past two years. Meanwhile, the Medicaid program will be hit with $113 million in cuts that will reduce prescription drug aid and children’s health insurance subsidies.
That’s just the beginning. These reductions are part of the governor’s call for immediate 6.3 percent cuts across state government. Once that’s ended, lawmakers will still be faced with a $3 billion hole.
I-1107 proponents say the taxes it would repeal raise such a small amount as to be unhelpful in balancing the budget. Yet repealing these taxes would drain $250 million to $300 million from the state treasury by 2013. The recent DSHS and Medicaid cuts amount to $281 million, meaning similar-size cuts would be needed if I-1107 passes. That is not insignificant.
It’s true that the state has been slow to fix the structural deficit that goes beyond the pain inflicted by the economic downturn. Employee pay and benefits need to be cut. The number of services the state provides needs to be aligned with the ability of taxpayers to finance them and the necessity of government to perform them. But this will be a multiyear endeavor.
Quite simply, spending cuts can’t do it all; the state needs this revenue now. Complaints from lawmakers about these taxes ring somewhat hollow, because nobody stepped forward last session with an all-cuts budget.
We agree that the illogical distinction between which candies are taxed and which aren’t is a confusing drawback, but that isn’t enough to justify an outright repeal. The notion that these taxes are a slippery slope to widespread grocery taxes isn’t persuasive. The public wouldn’t go for that, and lawmakers know it.
We don’t like the idea of raising taxes, but we’d rather swallow these limited increases on non-essential items than the service cuts.
To respond online, click on Opinion under the Topics menu at www.spokesman.com.
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DHF on October 01 at 5:47 a.m.
After working 38 plus years for the State I was appalled as to the utter disregard as to how taxpayer monies are spent on idiotic projects. It is no wonder that we are having trouble today. The answer is not the tax on food, candy etc. The answer is Quit the spending and reduce the size of government.The politicians just dont get it. DHF
Ed Byrnes on October 01 at 9:13 a.m.
On the question of why tax different things my sons, who are in grade school, raised the appropriate question about a tax on candy: “Why are they taxing kids?”
Our leaders in Olympia should attempt to answer that question, and they should also be ashamed of themselves.
hawken on October 01 at 9:13 a.m.
Yes DHF! You nailed it!
There is hope. Maybe you saw yesterday’s opinion “Shift Leaves Left In The Lurch.” Moderates and Liberals are coming over to the small government, point of view of conservatives in historical numbers. I commented on the Opinion yesterday. Interesting, none of my many big government adversaries have a single thing to say on that Editorial. While they are ubiquitous all over this SR forum…. their silence is deafening on the editorial I cite above.
I am also waiting to see on this string if any will show up to oppose the tax on candy…. a direct tax on the lower income citizens in WA.
This causes the liberals a dilemma…. on the one hand, bigger government, increased tax and spend is their solution for most issues… In this case, the tax on candy is a direct tax on the low income whom they profess to represent.
johnclarke on October 01 at 9:37 a.m.
Interesting point of view hawken, except every Republican president in recent history has increased spending and the size of government. Note: Ronald Reagan, the conservative hero increased Federal spending by 53%. Here is a nice story about GW.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/19/big-government-gets-bigger/
Repuplicans all run for office with the promise of “reducing spending” and “shrinking government.” The problem is, none of the conservatives actually ARE conservative. Mostly, they say what everyone on the right wants to hear, then do the opposite.
And yeah, the tax on candy? What if everyone bought their kids fruit? I’m just sayin’. My kid gets fresh apples in her lunch. No complaints yet.
hawken on October 01 at 9:49 a.m.
Were we not hiding under our desk for fear of nuclear holocaust between the USSR and the USA? Reagan increased our military spending significantly which broke the back of the Socialist Soviet Republic…. thus, exterminating a world wide threat to humanity and allowing us decrease our military spending. Sounds like a good move and investment to me.
As to your point that too many Republicans promise smaller government and then don’t come through. I could not agree more. While the Dems are saturated with the Progressive World View… the Republicans are in over their knees as well. Some of those Republicans have already been replaced at the polls.
There is much more work to be done. I am glad to see yesterdays Editorial… “Shift Leaves Left In The Lurch.” Liberals and Moderates are coming over to my conservative, small government point of view in historic numbers.
hawken on October 01 at 10:06 a.m.
johnclarke:
I read your cite on G.W. Bush… He was no friend to small government conservatives like me. The article tells me nothing I haven’t know for years.
johnclarke on October 01 at 10:07 a.m.
except…they are not. You can’t run wing nuts as candidates and expect to get anywhere. What I don’t understand is where were all these small government types during the Bush Administration?
BTW, the theory about Saint Ronnie ending the cold war is considered fantasy by the very people that got “exterminated.” Here is some light reading.
http://www.counterpunch.org/blum06072004.html
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0611-12.htm
Reagan spent quite a few US tax dollars backing dictators in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Afghanistan. He’s not who conservatives like to think he was, and he most certainly did not end the cold war.
hawken on October 01 at 10:48 a.m.
Well john… I see you as well can’t have a civil discussion without using pejorative terms…. “right wing nuts.”
Just wondering if you apply this term to the historic numbers of Moderates and Liberals whom are running away from your big government world view…. and blind ideology… coming over to my conservative view?
TheRain on October 01 at 11:32 a.m.
“On the question of why tax different things my sons, who are in grade school, raised the appropriate question about a tax on candy: “Why are they taxing kids?””
Why are your kids so attached to their candy that they feel it’s a tax on them?
misjustice on October 01 at 2:26 p.m.
“They” are taxing kids because greedy selfish grown ups insist on living in a fantasy land where we have to borrow money from China to give to the greedy selfish grown ups, in the form of tax cuts to the top 2%. Son, that results in less federal monies being distributed to the states, so then the states have to tax kids to meet budgetary shortfalls caused by the greedy selfish grown ups. This is what 8 (more) years of trickle down economics has wrought; taxing kids. ; )
But don’t worry kid, the Republican’ts have a “Pledge” for you! They’ll keep the tax cuts in place for the top 2% of greedy selfish grown ups, and since Republican’ts only care about ya when you’re a fetus, you, kid, well, you’re own your own.
Bob_Knows on October 01 at 7:08 p.m.
“Any government that takes one tenth part of a man’s wealth, in total of all taxes [fed, state, and local] is tyranny and should be overthrown,” The Continental Congress, 1775.
Two and a half centuries later we are lucky to end up with one tenth part of our earnings left after all the direct, indirect, and hidden local, state, and federal taxes.
Morals have not changed. Neither has TYRANNY!
We The People need more taxes like George Washington needed the English blockade of NY.
Canning on October 02 at 7:51 p.m.
The people have already spoken, years ago. NO TAX ON FOOD. Olympia, you work for us, quit trying to ursup our authority.