Virtually every day, I get calls and e-mails from folks who remind me we're all a bunch of crazy extremists. If you believe our critics, all we do is yammer on about the size of government and babble incoherently about high taxes and government regulations. We probably also attend Star Trek conventions and live in our parents' basements.
We're so kooky, we're under the impression that this legislative session ought to be more about preserving freedom and free markets and less about preserving the status quo of state government. And how dare we talk about cutting taxes when what people really want are government health care and the preservation of existing services.
Turns out, we're not so crazy after all, and if we are, we're in the majority here in Idaho. Last month, the Idaho Freedom Foundation commissioned a poll asking about taxes and health insurance mandates. After telling 400 Idahoans that the Legislature is getting ready to cut spending this year, we asked, "Should the Legislature cut taxes as well in an effort to spur economic development, increase personal income and create jobs?"
It seems counterintuitive to even pose the question. When asked, you would instantly think about your own household expenditures, cutting those expenses in order to match your income and then cutting your income some more. Yet almost two-thirds of Idahoans said yes, the state should cut taxes. In fact, in eastern Idaho, 7 in 10 people support lower taxes, according to our survey.
In southwestern Idaho, about 61 percent of those surveyed said they want lower taxes. The Lewiston-Moscow region was more skeptical, but still a majority — 53 percent — said they too want lower taxes.
What's more, Idahoans overwhelmingly want Idaho lawmakers to be proactive when it comes to Congress' attempts to impose health insurance mandates on the rest of us. Asked "Should lawmakers pass legislation that protects Idahoans from being forced to buy health insurance and protects Idahoans from having to enroll in a government insurance program," almost 66 percent said "yes." Support for such legislation ranged from about 60 percent in the northern part of the state to the low 80s from Twin Falls to Pocatello.
These numbers say a great deal about the mood of Idahoans as the Legislature gets to business in Boise. Folks in Idaho are not supportive of socialized medicine. They're not OK with the decision to make Idahoans pay for the health care costs of folks living in Nebraska. They're not happy being told that they have to buy health insurance because the government says so. And they'd like some tax relief.
It's easy for the Legislature to pass something that correctly portrays the collective anger Idahoans feel about the health legislation pending in Washington, D.C. It might be a strongly-worded letter (called a joint memorial) to Congress, a resolution authorizing the attorney general to take some action, a constitutional amendment or statutory change. Only a third of Idahoans would object.
A tax cut doesn't send a message to Washington, D.C., but it does send a strong message about the current state of the economy and the statist policy decisions of the last many months that put government spending, government programs and government employees ahead of the private sector.
Cutting taxes is good for the economy, good for Idaho and will provide needed relief to Idaho families and businesses. That money will in turn be invested in retail sales, capital expansion, new employees, higher pay and so on. That's why a tax cut is the most important policy decision lawmakers could make.
Folks like us are told we're crazy, but I'm fairly certain I just heard the sounds of two-thirds of readers of this column nod their heads in agreement.
Comments
Lower State Idaho TaxesSubmitted by Lower Idaho Taxes (not verified) on Sun, 07/11/2010 - 10:51.
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Where do you think the money come from to pay government employees. The non-government employees. When there is no more money because there is nothing left from these people, then where do you think you are going to be. Huh Huh. Government should be scaled back. We shouldn't have our own money we worked hard and being given back what is rightfully ours in bit and pieces like a carrot on a string.
Stop the illegals, lower the state taxes or get rid of it all together and in place put a sales tax.
Where do you think the money is going to come fromSubmitted by Lower Idaho Taxes (not verified) on Sun, 07/11/2010 - 10:47.
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Government employees, where do you think the money comes from. US non-government employees who pay your salary, When the government gets too big and there is no more money to give, what do you think will happen. HUH, HUH. you think you will still have a job? Government needs to be downsize. We need to be keeping what is rightfully our, not taken from us and give back to us like carrots on a string. Some of the lefties=socialist are crazy. You people should leave the USA and move to a soviet union and see how you like it there.
RINO and liberalism is a disease.
Crazy Extremists . . .Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 02:27.
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What do you have against public employees? I suppose you would prefer that I quit my job, which I also pay taxes out of my income for, and join the foodstamp lines? You are extremists and well, I'll just let you keep on your soap box - no more needs to be said. You prove it every time I check out your site to see if anyone has brought you to your collective senses. By the way, how are you getting along with the skin heads and neo-nazis? If things continue not to go your way, are you planning a Jones town event? You are politically self-destructive.
Wayne, IACI won't allow thatSubmitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 21:06.
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Wayne, IACI won't allow that to happen without a huge battle. And really, who's going to win that one?
Neil, I think the answer isSubmitted by Wayne Hoffman on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 18:37.
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Neil, I think the answer is simple: Repeal the state law that says you can't buy insurance out of state if you want! The state has protectionist policies in place that do a disservice to consumers
I can't believe that thoseSubmitted by John Haus (not verified) on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 13:23.
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I can't believe that those numbers all so low. Who the hell wouldn't want lower taxes??? I saw a study that indicated that among people who don't follow politics and what these bills are all about, they usually vote liberal. However, among people who follow what is happening in Wash, DC, and are seeing what the corrupt politicians are trying to do to us, they almost always vote conservative.
Bottom line? We have to educate the voters. We must get them to watch what Wash, DC is doing. Ignorant people will destroy this country. Proof of this is the election in Nov 2008. How's that hope and change working out for you?
Spending and taxesSubmitted by Phil Hardy (not verified) on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 10:11.
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I am extremely curious to learn in a poll what Idahoans think SHOULD be cut from spending. Give them the Top 5 budget items and see if they think they should be cut and by how much.
I think the information provided so far has been very insightful, but I feel it could be complete if we asked a series of questions asking for where the people think we should cut AND by how much.
Keep up the good work.
Eliminate Not CutSubmitted by Walt Holton (not verified) on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 09:45.
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Even the drunken dullard, when presented with the laws of economics, must concede; taxes only restrain industry. So we must conclude that in order to sponsor real growth (not the kind of growth the Fed proclaims), we must reduce the amount of money seized from the productive and given to the non-productive. Of course cuts can be done a number of ways, some with more impact than others. A simple cut that may be proposed, and may resound with a typical work-a-day voter is a sales tax reduction. Although, any tax cut is a good one, this is just not the best way to take make a full impact.
I would suggest rather than cutting tax ratios on existing tax structure, we need to eliminate taxes and regulation, that not only directly restrains business by the seizure of funds but also cost business extra time and funds due to the requirement of additional ancillary support; personal property tax, real estate property tax and income tax come to the top of mind.
So, at this time of mandatory thrift, perhaps we need to look at how we can get the most bang for the buck out of our reduction of taxes. Perhaps eliminate the income tax altogether and raise the sales tax (of course with a net reduction in the size of the government take). Just the reduction in minutia, and the resulting savings from such an act would promote economic growth. There is my two cents (well not exactly...the government actually owns one of them...both if I don't hire someone that knows the tax code to defend me).
Health CareSubmitted by Neil Thorne (not verified) on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 00:22.
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Wayne,
What can we do to get the Idaho legislature to open up more choices to heath care? If we want to lower health care costs, then we need more competition. I would love to have a choice for 25 quotes from insurance companies rather than just the 5 than our state currently allows. That will be the first step to making insurance more affordable.
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