State taxes rise across the nation

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Taking up the slack for *

WASHINGTON (AP) — If it seems like your taxes have been going up, they probably have — at least at the state level.

State taxpayer burdens increased by an average of 41 percent from 1994 to 2004, according to newly released data from the Census Bureau. Only one state, Alaska, saw the amount it collects per person decline.

Even when the numbers are adjusted for inflation, the individual tax burdens increase in 43 states.

Hawaiians last year paid the most to state government —$3,050 per person on average. Texans paid the least — an average of $1,368.

http://www.djc.com/news/bu/11175806.html?cgi=yes

[IronLionZion]

1. There was no middle class tax cut

Republican tax cuts are a cruel hoax that works on a naive and disinterested population.

Rove read Americans like a book. Apathy is the word.

[Odin2005]

2. I swear, I get the feeling...

that most people are to stupid or ignorant about the conection between taxes and social services, if they did we wouldn't have a budget deficit now.

[Oerdin]

3. Essentially

The states are trying to step in and fund social programs that the administration has slashed. They've raised taxes in order to pay for those social programs. It would be more efficent to have one large program at the federal level then 50 small programs at the state level.

[Nite Owl]

4. Dean said that this would happen

He said because of the policies of this Administration state and local taxes would far outway their $300 tax cut. Instead of talking about 'the scream' they should have been dicussing this.

[dcfirefighter]

5. I don't have a problem with this

nor do I necessarily think that 'one big national program' is always the best answer.

Most progressives would generally support a wealth tax before an income & wage tax - states have the ability to tax wealth through property taxes.

If states realize that they can remove the harmful part of property taxes, they can raise whatever monies they feel necessary, without driving people, jobs, and productivity to other, lower tax states.

The harmful parts of property tax are those parts that bear on productivity and employment: taxes against things that people can choose to have made or not made.

This pretty much leaves only property tax against those things that have value but are not produce by man: land, water, air, etc.