Bacon's Rebellion

Can You Say “Tax Revolt”, Anyone?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

An anonymous contributor posted some fascinating data under the “Kilgore Releases Transportation Plan” thread, and it was just too good to keep buried there. So, here it is, paraphrased from Anonymous, who takes it from the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance website:

Here are the increases that local governments are requiring the average single family homeowner to pay in local property taxes in just one year — 2005 as opposed to 2004.

Arlington County…. $482
City of Alexandria…. $760*
Fairfax County…. $364
Loudoun County…. $484
Prince William County…. $174 *
Recommended for adoption May 2nd

Now, cutting back to my personal commentary…. Let’s see. Lawmakers enacted roughly $750 million in the state sales, income and other taxes by last year. Soaring property values are pushing up the actual tax burden of real estate, especially in Northern Virginia. And higher college tuitions are pushing up the cost of attending public college at the rate of 7 to 8 percent next fall.

To top it all off, Sen. John Chichester and assorted allies still thinks Virginians are undertaxed and wants to increase the gas tax.

Can you say “tax revolt”, anyone?

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  1. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Jim: Maybe. Maybe not. If the surplus doesn’t materialize the year after next, we won’t have much of an argument for tax cuts. Can the Federal Government keep spending recklessly and promoting the NOVA economy forever? Probably not.

    Another thing: The NVTA folks were using that piece to argue FOR an increase in the gas tax, not against. They’re big fans of the gas tax increase.

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    You did leave off the punch line of my post, Jimbo. All those local tax increases are not going to support transportation. For that matter, all the recent increases in gasoline prices have produced no additional money for transportation, since the gas tax is a fixed 17.5 cents per gallon and hasn’t changed in 20 years. The NVTA’s point is politicians can and will raise taxes, and voters will pay higher taxes…but not for transportation!

  3. Will Vehrs Avatar
    Will Vehrs

    Maybe Phil or one of our fellow bloggers has seen signs of a tax revolt, but I sure haven’t. Quite frankly, I’ve been surprised at the lack of anti-tax activism, given the mix of slightly higher state taxes, fairly substantial local hikes via reassessments. and static or even declining service levels.

    Maybe there’s a tipping point that we haven’t quite reached, maybe voters are just numb, or maybe there really is a Russ Potts silent majority saying “you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

  4. Steven Avatar
    Steven

    Anti-tax arguements need to be stable,
    …in order to turn the table,
    …to disable,
    …those transportation tax increasing fables.

    Gosh darn, I’m having a Jesse Jackson’s moment!

    When Ronald Reagan said it best, “How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”

    No doubt, Gipper.

    Because the transportation ‘socialist’ and ‘special interests’ barbarians are at the gate.

    God save the Commonwealth!

    ~ the blue dog

  5. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    Those are just the tax increases. If you want to have some fun, compare the tax increases with the increase in property value that caused them. There is apparently little relationship between a jurisdiction’s ability to create wealth for it’s citizens and it’s desire to take it away.

    Then consider which jurisdictions already have their infrastructure in place and those that are still building: again, no perceivable relationship.

    You wouldn’t mind quite so much paying more taxes if you could see that you are getting your money’s worth.

  6. Phil Rodokanakis Avatar
    Phil Rodokanakis

    Will: I agree with you. I too am surprised at the lack of visible signs of a tax revolt.

    On the other hand, I can tell you for a fact that when the candidates that are challenging the Republican delegates that voted for the tax increase go door to door, taxes are the No. 1 issue with most voters.

    I have a good friend who’s been very active in local politics for about 25 years now. He has gone door to door for a number of different campaigns over this period. He tells me that to win a voter over for the candidate he is now supporting, all he does is mention the “t” word; once the voter is convinced that the candidate supported by my friend will fight for tax relief, that’s all it takes to get them to comit to vote for this candidate.

  7. Bob Griendling Avatar
    Bob Griendling

    Funny, Phil, your friend has this experience that is refuted by all recent polls showing taxes are way down the list of concerns of voters. But I’m sure your friend is infallible.

    Why don’t you give it up? The tax revolt is dying because people have found out the truth: Taxes overall (federal, state & local) are lower and services are suffering. People are seeing the cost and are deciding taxes are a necessary evil in a civil society.

    Oh, but then, what right-wing extremist wants a civil society?

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