The scourge of taxes
To the editor:
There are only nine states that do not have a state income tax, including Florida. I read a lot about the fact that Florida does not have a state income tax and low property taxes. As if these were the two most important things to consider in a full life.
Among the United States, nine of the best-educated states are in the northeastern part of the country.
Florida continues to fall at the mid-point or lower in its education ranking. So when I hear that the school system in a certain county is good, I have to remember that it may be good for being in Florida, not for its comparison to a higher educational standard.
Florida’s teachers rank 48th for salaries so it’s easy to see who suffers: teachers and students. You can’t pay teachers the good salaries they deserve without a better tax base.
Surely many people move here from the northeast and they enjoy the tax break, but I’m betting they like the sun and beach a lot more. Most people don’t mind paying their fair share of taxes for the betterment of society because they see the long-term value in a solid tax base.
Better educated people have the ability to leave other states and move to Florida. Or leave if they wish.
They’re not going to let a small tax break so heavily influence their decision to move to another state. So it is a misnomer to say “People leave other states because of high taxes.” There are a myriad of reasons within a complex matrix that drive people to make these decisions.
If our politicians are going to continue to promote Florida as a great place to live, then more taxes will be needed to build and support the infrastructure and better pay for the teachers. Florida is already behind on planning and controlled growth so it’s ultimately going to spin out of control like California.
It’s not bad enough Florida’s schools are at the bottom of the educational ranking and that our growth-rate is out of control. We’ve got our legislature thumbing through kiddie books looking for vestiges of conspiracy theories.
Don’t take my word for it, just look around.
Paul Kiefner
Saint Augustine
formerly of Cape Coral