I feel comfortable saying it is hard to find a person, whether they be upper class, middle class, or working class, that has ever said, “You know what? I’d just love to pay more taxes.” Of course we are not counting politicians, because they are not quite normal people like you and me, right? However, some delegates think that this is exactly what the state of West Virginia is in need of. Delegate Jim Morgan (D-Campbell) believes the state should raise the sales tax until June 2018 from six to seven percent.
Now I know people are thinking, “Hey what’s the big deal? It’s only a single percent increase.” However, the increase will add an extra penny on every dollar an individual spends. While it may not sound like a very dramatic increase, it will quickly add up, and many people in West Virginia already endure budget-balancing trouble on a day-to-day basis.
Idealistically, this plan is great. Let’s raise the taxes a little bit and keep it that way for a few years so we can save up all that money we got in return from the increase. However, events are not likely to unfold like that. They are opening up a whole other can of worms if this legislation goes through.
There are two problems with this proposition. First, once the words “sales tax increase” are uttered, there are moans and groans of the government taking people’s money. Many people, including myself, get gas out of state because it is a whopping 30 cents cheaper on average in nearby states because of taxes on gas. West Virginia’s tax on gas is higher than both Virginia and Maryland. When the sales tax is cheaper in Maryland and Virginia, what is stopping many of us from going out of the state to buy pricey items such as appliances or electronics? The state could inadvertently lose money by driving away customers to other places to buy products due to the increased sales tax.
Second, when has the government ever had extra money and saved it for later? West Virginia has had many economic surpluses over the past years. If we are indeed in a “rainy day” scenario right now, I wonder where is the money left over from those other fiscal years?
Once the sales tax is increased, who knows what legislators will do with the money? If history repeats itself, which it often does, they will immediately use that new funding from a sales tax increase for something that benefits very few citizens in West Virginia, and then they will just ask for another increase. Our government is pulling an Oliver Twist, saying, “Please sir, may I have some more?” However, they are not adorable or British.
If this sales tax increase is unfortunately enacted across the state, I would ask state politicians to spend the money wisely in areas where increased funding is desperately needed. Again, this tax increase may not be signed into law, but if it is, let us use it to improve job opportunities, roads and infrastructure, schools and education systems such as Shepherd University, and most of all, environmental protection considering the recent water contamination event that took place in Charleston, W.V. and other surrounding areas.
Considering all the economic trouble from the recession to sequestrations or any other fancy word meaning we hardly have any money occurring across the country and the state of West Virginia, the last thing people need is more money being taken away from them.
I know I probably sound like some anti-government activist ranting about how the government is up to no good and “the man has to be stopped,” but West Virginia has been able to maintain a healthy amount of economic stability. Ironically enough, they want a raise in sales tax right around the same time tax refunds are coming out. While we’re asking for increases, where’s mine?
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