When the economy is sour, unemployment up, wages down, charitable giving stagnant and government assistance limited, it’s not the right time to raise taxes.
It’s the right time for government to become leaner and more efficient, to re-evaluate the services it offers and the way they’re offered.
That brings us to the issue of the county option income tax, or COIT, in Madison County. Local government units have the option of raising the rate of this tax, currently at 1.25 percent of income, to 1.5 percent of income. The raise would mean a person earning $40,000 in a year would pay an additional $100 a year in county income tax.
Local government entities have until Nov. 1 to decide whether to institute the tax increase. Units representing more than 50 percent of the county’s population must vote in favor of the tax hike for it to occur countywide. So, if Anderson and Elwood were to both vote in favor of the hike, it would be instituted for the entire county. Or a combination of other local government bodies — Madison County, Alexandria, Chesterfield, Edgewood, Elwood, Pendleton and Woodlawn Heights, for example — could vote it in.
Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon has already said the city administration is in favor of increasing the COIT rate. Indeed, Anderson City Council voted in favor of it last year but couldn’t get other government units to go along.
We have three words for local officials mulling the COIT increase: Just Say No.
Service fees should be considered, within reason, to generate needed revenue because they directly charge the people who use the service. But raising general taxes doesn’t make any sense.
The timing is all wrong. The message is all wrong. Individuals and businesses are learning to make do without the revenue they once had. Government must do the same.
It will take creative thinking and determination to get the job done with the resources available. And it will take budget cuts.
That’s the harsh reality of the community’s economic conditions. Government must deal with that reality.
Editorials
Editorial: Just say no to COIT increase
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Editorial: Get permission before school pranks
Anderson High School decided to show some solidarity with their Cascade peers and filled up the school with post-it notes, all in good fun. This prank was also done after hours but with a big difference: The students had requested and received permission to imitate Cascade.
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You Said It: About fundraiser, missing woman, building preservation
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com.
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Editorial: Memorial Day helps put face on wounded warriors
This is the perfect weekend to thank a veteran, an active duty service member or a wounded warrior for his or her service. Our positive, encouraging response goes a long way in defining our society.
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Editorial: Honor those who fought, and celebrate our freedom
This weekend, keep in mind the reason for Memorial Day — to remember those who have been so important in our lives, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice in military service.
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Editorial: Governor candidates offer conservatism, moderation
The jockeying for position has begun in what is basically a two-horse gubernatorial race. Each offers voters a legitimate option. The November outcome may offer a simple referendum on the mindset of voters: Are they most persuaded by Mike Pence’s conservatism or by John Gregg’s moderation?
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Editorial: Keep up the chorus against the landfill
Occupy Anderson has joined the ever-growing chorus against the proposed Mallard Lake landfill. Sam Mudd, a member of Occupy, is taking his studies on how the landfill might pollute Anderson’s water to areas of the county to drum up support against the landfill.
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Editorial: Find a buyer for former school or tear it down
If a buyer wants the former Pendleton Heights Middle School, fine, but put no more taxpayer money into it.
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Editorial: Libraries must adapt to serve communities
Certainly, the Friends of the Anderson Public Library needs space to store and sell used books, records, DVDs and other material. But library supporters and staff must be flexible in this ever-changing world to keep public facilities relevant.
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You Said It: About Walking Men, the Queen of Disco and settled lawsuits
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com.
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Editorial: Ockomon-Spencer saga hurt city's reputation
Wednesday, May 16, was a sad day for Anderson taxpayers forced to pay a $128,000 bill that ends a saga that never should have started
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