The front page of the local paper spotlighted some old news. June 12, the tyranny of the progressive majority on Asheville City Council voted to blow the caps off business privilege license fees. The soak the rich scheme can be taken as a stance against the Evil WalMarts of the world. More conservatively, the gesture is a token of this generation’s doomed attempt to bring about universal euphoria through Government as the Great Leveler.

At their June meeting, Brownie Newman, Holly Jones, Bryan Freeborn, and Robin Cape voted that all businesses would pay fees at the same rate. This is seen as fair by some, but unappreciative of hard work and initiative by others. Asheville’s 12-15 largest businesses will now have to divert tens of thousands from their annual budgets to pay government.

Restructuring of Asheville’s fee structure to favor small business was a theme in council’s last two budget cycles. Newman and Cape make their disdain for big business no secret.

Newman, who is running for re-election, spoke in favor this year of “tax relief for families.” This warm and fuzzy prospect boiled down to saving the average household a whopping $7.60 or thereabouts annually. Council considered three options of accomplishing this, and in the same breath, they considered lifting the caps to make up the difference.

Last year, council adjusted business privilege fees to keep their promise to remain revenue-neutral. While the city was trying to hold the line on taxes, Buncombe County revalued the countryside with astronomical assessments, which were sufficient to significantly shift the amount of sales tax revenue redistribution from the city to the county. With the oppressive restraints on raising revenue imposed by the Sullivan acts, the Al Gore and Michael Moore enthusiasts on council decided to curse creativity and initiative with higher business license fees.

Fortunately, the local newspaper has been victimized by these attempts to use government to force equality.