State Tax Update Archive
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Volume 6, Issue 36

Columbus, OH Sports Thrive Without Tax Increase

In the past two years Columbus has opened 3 new sports venues as well as more seats being added to Ohio Stadium for OSU Buckeye football in a year.  This has all happened without a new sales tax or any sort of taxpayer funding.  In fact, the Columbus' taxpayers voted down two tax proposals in 1998 that would have paid for a new hockey arena and soccer stadium.  Despite the voter rejection the stadiums were built with private funding and so far sports and concerts are drawing great crowds.  I guess that just goes to show that you can have your cake and eat it too.

Oklahoma Taxpayers Overwhelmingly Vote to Cut Car Tax

Last week Oklahoma's taxpayers took government in their own hands and relieved some of their tax burden.  Oklahoma's voters made it clear that they wanted to see some relief and approved a proposal that will decrease the cost of license tags by $23 million annually.  State Question 691 was approved by almost 80% of the vote and it will go in effect October 1, 2000.

Vouchers are working in Washington, D.C.

A new study released this week showed that African American students in the District of Columbia, Dayton, OH, and New York City are doing better than their public school classmates since they transferred to private schools with the help of vouchers.  The study stated that the students scored 6 percentile points higher than their public school counterparts and in the District students scored 9 percentile points higher.

Taxes are the Focus in New Hampshire Governor's Race

This week the four Republican gubernatorial hopefuls met for a one-hour debate.  One of the biggest issues discussed and disagreed upon was funding for the state's education program.  The four candidates all had different ideas ranging from a state income tax that New Hampshire does not have, a statewide property tax plan, a shifting of resources and a slow down of the rate of growth of state government.  One thing agreed upon by all of the candidates was that incumbent Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D)and her administration have had 4 years to correct the education funding issue and have failed.  

California Legislators want to tax the Internet

The California State Assembly voted 42-31 to send a measure to Governor Gray Davis that would collect a state sales tax on Internet purchases.  The bill focuses mainly on companies that have stores in California that collect the states 7.25% sales tax, but also have affiliated companies that sell products on the Internet and do not collect it.  The governor has not taken a position on the bill yet but his general view on Internet taxation is that it is not a good idea.  Another related bill was sent to Gov. Davis this week.  This bill would require him to talk to other states about setting up a multi-state sales tax system to capture revenue from Internet sales by out-of-state companies to California residents.  Currently California is under a moratorium similar to the one Congress has passed while the complications of Internet taxation is worked out.

Hero and Enemy of the Taxpayer

Hero of the Taxpayer - Pat Hall, campaign chairman of Citizens Urging Tax Cuts, the group that campaigned for State Question 691 in Oklahoma for the success in passing SQ691 and removing the car tax.

Enemies of the Taxpayer - Senator Chuck Robb (D-VA) for his poor voting record in Americans for Tax Reform 2000 ratings of Congress.

Representative Tim Roemer (D-IN) for misleading his constituents on his tax record.  Rep. Roemer claims that he has never voted for a tax increase while in Congress.  However in 1993 he voted not once but twice among a series of votes to give America the largest tax hikes ever.