Business

Winter Doldrums, Not Much New To Blog

The GUARDIAN is still here, but there isn’t much new to share.

Even the Statesman has resorted to devoting the front page to news that’s 100 years old–featuring Kuna and Eagle history books that have apparently hit the stores recently.

Legislature is in town, Boise State football is over, Repubs and Tea Party still don’t like ObamaCare. Weather jocks didn’t see the snow coming in the Valley, Bogus Basin needs snow. ACHD has used up a good portion of their sand, salt and de-icer with just a single storm. Same old, same old.

Lots of talk about ending the oppressive and unfair Personal Property Tax, but no good ideas about how to make up for revenues the counties will lose. Rural areas like Caribou County get better than 40% of tax revenue from the tax while Ada brings in about 8% of its cash from it. Some of our morning coffee old-timers suggest if there is a local option, the option should be whether or not to have a personal property tax. That way the pro business lobby will have to convince commissioners of 44 counties and countless cities, costing much more than just making payments to legislators.

The idea has merit. Bois-Ada could dump the tax (with voter approval) and if politicos are to be believed, they would attract lots of new businesses that pay high wages and stimulate the economy. A sales tax would benefit only the major population centers and merely increase the cost of groceries, clothing, and retail goods, no doubt tempting shoppers to cross state lines for lower taxes in Oregon.

Comments & Discussion

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  1. Idaho is the land of cheap labor, cheap houses and cheap dirt. Employers have bolstered the cheap labor via the “Right to Work” laws and now they want to download yet another stream of taxation to anyone but themselves and their equipment. No question this is a really bad tax but who is left to pay the bills for necessary city and county services?

    I can remember when Walter Reuther was prez of the UAW and Mr. Ford was showing off the latest robots of that day to replace human labor. Mr. Reuther politely asked Mr. Ford what he would do when there were no people to buy his automobiles.

    I think we have reached the point where we have way more people than jobs needed to do the work at all levels of the modern workforce. It sort of reminds me of China where a guy was sweeping the street with a corn broom in the foreground and in the background there was a modern frontend loader doing the work of 20 men. A real dichotomy in my mind of how they do stuff in China. We may not be far off this work model in our futhre.

  2. I’m sorry but I think it’s time business pay there far share. I think the’ve raped us enough.

  3. Robert: I’m sorry but I think it’s time business pay there far share. I think the’ve raped us enough.

    Robert must be one of Romney’s 47%!

    I have a job, thanks to “business.” I can buy food and supplies at “businesses.” When costs go up for businesses, they pass it on to their customers, who either pay the higher costs or become former customers. Enough former customers, and the business becomes a former business. (And when the “business” I work for makes a few bucks, they throw a bone to me, even though I’m holding up that totem pole.)

    Yeah, let’s PUNISH the successful until they are no longer successful!

    Why are so many people afraid of free enterprise?

    Other topics of current interest:

    BSU’s football season may be over, but they are putting together the first interesting basketball season in awhile. Go Broncos!

    What’s the deal with every school in the area closing, on account of 2 inches of snow on the ground?!! Good gracious! What a bunch of simpering pansies we’ve become!

  4. Agreed, Robert. Businesses should pay for the infrastructure and services that benefit them. And dang, Guardian, what a brilliant solution to the PPT problem. 🙂

  5. Personal property tax needs to be dumped partly because it costs a lot to administer and send in the reports. My proposal to replace the revenue is to tax internet sales which is unfair competition for local buisness and to change the way wind energy companys are taxed. The subsidys they receive go to the bottom line of companys such as General Electric and foreign owned companys. Not much of that revenue you pay thru the power company stays in Idaho

  6. If a repeal of a tax has to include replacement revenue then why are we calling it a repeal of anything. All taxes are paid by individuals. We are just talking about shifting these taxes to a different individual. The revenue lost by a repeal of the personal property tax totals about 10% of the total property tax collected by local entities. It is my opinion that there is at least 10% fat in local government. Repeal it and leave it alone. If some of the entities are hit too hard with this let them decide where the burden shifts to through local levy override elections. On that note I am a huge supporter of Local Option sales taxing authority and letting voters decide when they want to pay for specific improvements. Robert,saying a business should pay something because they have “raped” us long enough is ignorant. If you are tired of being raped by businesses quit using their products and services. You have that choice.

    Bidkeboy, so many people aren’t just afraid of free enterprise they are afraid of everything. Mostly afraid of themselves though. They want someone else to blame for all their stupid decisions.

  7. I’ve paid plenty of personal property taxes. I often wonder how much money Micron pays?
    I don’t think machinery or equipment that makes money that generates sales tax or employs people should be taxed.

    I’d like to see a tax on alcohol fortified beer. That stuff causes so many problems ending up costing taxpayers a lot of money. I have no problems with naturally brewed beer or alcohol. But adding alcohol to get you drunk faster ??

  8. G-man,

    How about a follow up on the dogs in Ann Morrison Park idea? Is it working to chase the geese out? It’s about POOP and I miss the rants POOP generates on this blog.

  9. Ada County Elected Officials Swearing-In Ceremony, 3 p.m., Monday, Jan. 14, 1st Floor Public Hearing Room, AC Courthouse. Swearing-in of Ada County Commissioners Jim Tibbs and Dave Case; announcement of new BOACC chairman; swearing-in of re-elected prosecutor and sheriff.

  10. Bikeboy I had a retail business here for 21 years. Back when we appreciated our employees with good medical benefits, retirement programs, vacations pay. Now most of that is gone and we have no commitment to our employees what so ever. We made a living. Now its lets see how bad we can screw the employees and make them pay the taxes, and of course take all the profits and run. So yes I feel business should pay there way. Hard to understand companies like Albertsons basically bankrupting the business and the CEO running off with a 250 million bonus for doing it. Lovely just lovely!

  11. Well considering the very businesses that want the PPT repealed (Union Pacific, Walmart, Micron, and Idaho Power all of whom can easily afford these taxes) is it no surprise that they know they have allies in Idaho.

  12. The PPT is a ridiculous tax idea in the first place. Calling machinery that produces products, that employs people, and effects sales to consumers “personal” property??? Only in I-dee-ho?

    Dog is right to ask about Micron’s PPT payments. I agree also with taxing alcohol-fortified beer–of ALL the dumb ideas.

  13. Hm–editing has vanished. I meant to say adding alcohol to beer is the dumb idea, not taxing it.

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