| When I read today that the Venezuelan people had
spoken with a unified voice in rejecting a proposal to allow
dictator Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election indefinitely, I felt
joy for the people of Venezuela and democracy itself. The vote was a
close 49 percent for and 51 percent against the proposal.
However, sadness suddenly returned to my thoughts as I considered
the actions of the West Muskingum School Board after the voters of
our county spoke with a clear and concise voice just 30 days ago.
The board's decision to "put the income tax proposal back to the
voters in March because the margin was not conclusive" illustrates a
complete lack of respect not only for voters but for the process of
democracy itself. Please, do not give another government entity (WM
School Board) the power to tax income in addition to your property.
I want to be clear to the voters of Muskingum County, I have
nothing against this particular school district or its students,
but, if the board is successful, this tax will eventually be coming
to all taxpayers as other county boards get the same idea. So, if
you think that you are safe because you do not live in the WM
district, you may soon be unpleasantly surprised.
Let's take a look at just some of the taxes we pay: Federal,
state and local income taxes, federal, state and local sales taxes,
Social Security taxes, property taxes, Medicaid and Medicare taxes,
excise taxes, capital gains taxes, federal and state unemployment
taxes, gasoline taxes, gift taxes, workers comp taxes, AMT,
cigarette and alcohol taxes and last but not least, the regressive
and voluntary lottery.
Folks you have already paid taxes many times over for these
schools, it is your state government that has recklessly
misallocated your tax dollars. Let's bring our tax dollars back to
Muskingum County.
Starve the monster, he will shrink; continue to feed the monster,
he will grow.
Donald S. Moyer
Zanesville |