I live in a dysfunctional state.
Actually scratch that…I live in a dysfunctional Commonwealth.
Looking at this logically:
- We have 4.3 million people
- We rank 22nd in population density
- We have a state sales tax of 6%, except on foodstuffs.
- We have a state income tax of 6%, basically for everybody.
- We pay property tax assessed on cars, yearly.
- We pay property tax on LEASED CARS. Think about that for a minute.
- Lots of our local municipalities levee income taxes as well
Yeah, so of course we’re flat broke. Comically so, like your friend who’s lived off credit cards for the last 10 years, then can’t convince Citibank to up his limit.
There are some bright spots. Crit Luallen, our auditor, is a gem. She’s the all-seeing eye. She causes embezzlers and graft-takers to shudder, as they should. When things go wrong, she arrives like a pissed off Darth Vader hunting Princess Leia. (As my commenter, Dash, corrected me, the muckrakers at the Herald-Leader play a huge role, as well. They discovered abuses at KACo, Bluegrass Airport, and the Lexington Public Library.)
Further, there’s the government teat. We’ve suckled more than our fair share since the Great Society, and Hal sure keeps it coming. Honestly, without the Bailout Money last year, basic services in Kentucky would’ve dried-up.
Still. STILL. You’re taking 6% off the top whenever people do ANYTHING in this state. Buy a car…that’ll be 6% (unless you buy it from your parent). Earn a decent salary…that’ll be 6%. Honestly, the only thing that the tax structure in our state encourages is subsistence agriculture and hunting/fishing your own food. Do that and you could probably avoid the taxman altogether. Well, if you rent your house.
This is just insane. . .We have SO MUCH in this state. Natural resources. Cheap labor. Good transportation (well, the best FUNDED transportation department anywhere…).