Sunday, November 10, 2024

Bill Crawford: Responsible Concerns About Tax Cuts are not Myths

Tax cuts remain the top topic of our triumvirate of power.

Gov. Tate Reeves: “Getting rid of our state income tax, in my opinion, is the next step in continuing to unleash our full economic potential.”

Speaker of the House Jason White: “We’re looking to do two main things: eliminate the personal income tax in as few years as possible and cut the grocery tax, hopefully in half.”

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann: “I think it’s time to look at the grocery tax.”

What makes tax cuts their top priority? Well, they are popular.

At his recent summit on taxes, Speaker White cited a poll showing 64% of Mississippians favor eliminating the income tax over a five-year period. That same poll showed 84% favor eliminating the state sales tax on groceries.

Ergo, let’s cut some taxes.


Is that how government is supposed to work? Our founding fathers didn’t think so. In rejecting direct democracy in favor of a democratic republic, they sought to establish a government that could resist popular wants if those wants were deemed imprudent or untimely. Elected representatives were to apply their own wisdom and judgement to make decisions not simply respond to popular sentiment.

At Speaker White’s tax summit several senators exhibited such resistance.

As reported in Mississippi Today, Senate Finance Committee chair Josh Harkins “cautioned that time might be needed to see the results of previous massive tax cuts passed in 2022 and in 2016 that are still being phased in.” Harkins has also pointed out that full elimination of the income tax would reduce state revenues by $2.2 billion.

And, Sen. Jeremy England said while he supported tax cuts “‘baby steps’ might be needed to ensure funds are available to pay for state services.” He also pointed to the debacle in Kansas when popular tax cuts had to be rescinded when revenues dropped too far.

Gov. Tate Reeves called such cautions myths. “Legislators should ignore ‘myths’ from opponents who want to block efforts by him and some other Republicans to phase out the state’s income tax,” he said as reported by the Associated Press.

Calling concerns myths hardly seems responsible.

Not mentioned by Reeves or included in any polls is the ever-growing, now $25 billion funding gap at PERS. State Treasurer David McRae has suggested that surplus state funds should go to reduce that gap. Responsible leaders would address the PERS gap before yielding to popular desires for immediate tax cuts.

PS – White’s poll also showed support for public safety and healthcare access for the state's working population.

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” – Proverbs 25:28.

Crawford is the author of A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

You could cut the number of counties in half and save a metric ton of money. That also would cut the number of school districts without cutting a single teacher.

Anonymous said...

Cut it all. Without functioning roads, bridges, and airports, I don’t have to look at y’all anymore. Will be great.

Anonymous said...

In FL and TX, income tax is replaced with property tax increases, which is shockingly high, to the point that property owners regularly hire property value appeals specialists to reduce the inflated appraised basis valuations that underlie the amount of tax due. This whole appeals process is itself slow and expensive. Sales taxes, including grocery tax may be a better, more fair and atleast partly voluntary replacement.



Anonymous said...

The Covid-19 Scamdemic gave us a very clear picture of which government employees are truly essential and who is non-essential. If you were able to work from home, then your job can be privatized and outsourced. If you had to put on a hard hat and safety harness, or a gun belt and Kevlar vest, and go outside while the pearl clutches watched social media all day, you are essential and should be secured in your job. Everyone else is fat that society can survive without or be privatized. That goes for public teachers and the government bureaucracy that “supports” them.

Anonymous said...

8:48
Has that ever happened in our state history?? Hard sake bud.

Anonymous said...

@9:10 I have travelled many roads around the world that are 100% privatized with tolls and private traffic patrols. They work just fine. If the government relaxed regulations and allowed real competition then the competitive marketplace can easily provide transportation solutions such as cheaper airfare. I have seen the effect with my own eyes how the cost of airfare dropped significantly the last time the gov relaxed regulations on airlines. Prices increased and services decreased after 9/11 when regulations were increased.

Anonymous said...

I support the tax cuts. We pay way too many taxes now. They are everywhere and in everything we do.

Anonymous said...

RINOs falling for foreign actors selling schlock, from the Aussie toll road scheme years back to now. Yeah, bring in tons of tax exempt foreign companies, cut income taxes for them and their rich emigre foreign friends, and pretend we have the economic means to fund our state. Lies. Lobbyist lies.

And meanwhile the middle class will still see us getting the tax bill-on property, much to the delight of Boards of Supervisors who authorize crooked and degenerate cops to be hire. And with the blue collars getting even more tax breaks of chump change proportion to convince them they are getting rich. How about we start a STATE earned income tax credit where Billy Bob, who is paying NO FIT already, gets a fake refund? Of state taxes he doesn't pay.

Magic math, from RINO LiberaLtarians who missed the lessons of this election.
Everywhere there is no SIT, the makeup on taxes hurts the middle class. Who awoke this year and says NO MORE BS.

Anonymous said...

People like Bill Crawford love big government and simply cannot imagine the State having to make do with less tax money. The people can tighten their belts and be forced to live with a leaner budget, but heaven forbid the government having to do so.

Anonymous said...

This is still Mississippi and it's still about WHO as it has always been. WHO will be most adversely affected? WHO benefits or is hurt least/most from cuts/reduced government? That will determine WHAT cuts are to be made. Some cuts benefit/hurt some people more than others. That's what has to be determined. After that, it's cut and dried.

Anonymous said...

The monster must be fed one way or another.

Anonymous said...

Collapsing bridges and a retirement plan 45% under water. Idiots. Cut the stupid spending before you cut taxes.

Anonymous said...

Let’s give all of our money to the government and the government will give us back what they think we need. Government always knows what’s best for us.

Anonymous said...

Bill Crawford isn’t a conservative. He’s a RINO.

Anonymous said...

Aren’t roads and paid for with gas tax and car tags. Airports are paid for with tax on airline tickets.

Anonymous said...

Harkins just wants more of your tax dollar. He can’t get any accomplished with the airport and did an end-around the state’s voters on the flag vote. This guy can’t do anything that actually improves Mississippi and thinks the outdated tax code is working just fine.

Anonymous said...

If this isn't written by a bot/AI system, then they must still be drunk from that Ole Miss win.

Anonymous said...

I see plenty of needs as I travel around the state. These needs should be met, and it will require money. I would say one of the most glaring needs is more, and better roads.

Anonymous said...

I thought casinos were going to make all of Mississippi’s wildest dreams come true in regards to taxes. Is that not still a thing, or was that just said while trying to sell them to the public. Seems not much has happened.

Anonymous said...

I always like name calling (RHINO). Fiscal conservatism had been a hallmark of the Republican party policies throughout the 60’s 70’s 80’s and then things started to change.

And not just the “new” name calling as a way of dissociation, but tax cutting and spending.

Now nobody is responsible about spending, but absolving oneself of responsibility and blaming others is a currently potent strategy. But the spending increases.

There are two parties, the tax and spend liberals, and the cut-tax and spend MAGAs. Both will lead to economic ruin, just as it would work in your family situation.

Anonymous said...

Not one $ of tax cuts until our state parks are 100%. Make Mississippi Beautiful Again!

Anonymous said...

No, it doesn't. We can cut the monster down to size.

Anonymous said...

I’m for cutting income taxes (read “a tax on working”) and sales taxes. But cutting those means taxes decrease and Government takes less money from us. It’s not a tax cut to take less from one or two sources and more from other sources so Government has just as much or more cash than it had pre-cut.

And that’s what’s going to happen exactly. Lefties or “conservatives,” blue or red, R or D, the disingenuous likes of Delbert and Tater and Jason and the entire black caucus, we should never trust them to do what’s best for us and not for them.


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