The N&R follows up on a subject bandied about on the blogosphere for a while now: ‘reforming’ North Carolina’s tax system.
JLF’s John Hood weighs in:
The North Carolina Senate is now considering a tax-hike package that will cost state taxpayers $1.2 billion over the next two fiscal years. Proponents are, however, describing it as a “tax reform” package that will “benefit” the state by $1.2 billion over the next two years.
…..(T)he Senate plan isn’t really about tax reform, anyway. It’s just a big tax increase with a few gimmicks and half-hearted code renovations attached for political cover.
Another word about the transit tax local option making its way through the legislature as we speak. I couldn’t help but notice a couple of AP articles noted that it was modeled on the system that financed the “successful” Lynx system down in Charlotte. Well, take another look:
There you have it, ladies and gents. CATS says it needs another quarter-cent in county-wide sales tax in order to build more trains. With that precisely everything we’ve said would happen with regard to Charlotte’s transit system since 2006 has come to pass.
Subsequent coverage emphasizes the fact that any such referendums would be years away. But just the thought is scary enough. Remember, once you get on that train, there’s no turning back.
Update: Yesterday’s Capital Beat post on the so-called tax reform.
Update II: Right Angles passes along Triangle Transit General Manager David King’s description of the transit tax bill as a “legislative milestone.”
Right’s Donna Martinez says “It’s coming, folks, despite all the data.” I speculated that it would be a while before it happens in the Triad, but PART could probably have a regional rail plan ready for commissioners pretty quickly. And they’re good at convincing commissioners that we need more taxes to fund mass transit.
