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A different look at state income tax

By
— Mark Ukkonen, Newcastle

To the Editor: 
 
I appreciate Mr. Thorson’s letter in favor of a state income tax, however, I am in complete disagreement with him on it. Our taxes do provide for essential services at the national, state and county levels of government — the question becomes one of how do we pay for them. 
 
It is vexing how many levels of taxation there are. Some may not apply to you directly, but be assured you will contribute to them in some way, regardless. The politicians are devising even more ways, for example a “wealth” tax proposed in California. 
 
How do some states get along without an income tax on residents? Alaska is the largest in size, with a population comparable to Wyoming, with no income tax. Florida is No. 3 in population with 23 million, 22nd in size, with no income tax. The states with the highest rates tend to be blue states. 
 
We left Illinois 11 years ago. Illinois began an income tax in 1969 at a 2.5% flat rate. That stood for 14 years, then slowly it rose to 4.95%. Even so, Illinois had a huge debt and two former governors in prison. In 1969, the Illinois tax form was one page simple, just copy the numbers from your federal form and you were done. Today you have to go to a tax preparer, it is as complex as the federal form. 
 
I consider it a privilege to pay taxes in Wyoming, from property taxes to sales tax at checkout, not to mention vehicle tags and more. Paying more up front is less of a burden than having to file with the state April 15th to another layer of government bureaucracy. If other states can do without income taxes, I believe we can as well. Once it starts, it may quickly becomes unbearable and it only goes up. I have been there, done that.
 
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, and there are many willing to fix things. 
 
— Mark Ukkonen, Newcastle

 

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