It's another example of an out-of-state, corporate-owned media company trying to tell Indianapolis taxpayers what's best for them--paying higher taxes. The Indianapolis Star is touting rankings of taxation by county to make it appear that taxpayers in Marion County are paying much less than taxpayers elsewhere. The figures the Star relies on include only property and income taxes. All other taxes, including the real biggie, sales taxes, and fees paid by residents of the various counties are excluded. By this measure, Marion County, the county with the largest population in the state, including a larger percentage of its population dependent on welfare, comes in with a ranking of 17th out of the 92 counties with a per capita taxation level of $1,319.87. Now let's look at what these statistics show are the five highest-taxed counties in the state:
1. Benton- $1,714.35
2. Hamilton- $1,677.81
3. Boone- $1,591.39
4. Hendricks- $1,519.39
5. Hancock-$1,487.26
So are taxpayers in Benton County really over-taxed? Benton is one of the least populated counties in the state with only 8,804 persons. It's also home to some of the highest-valued farmland in the state of Indiana. Not surprisingly, it's per capita tax burden is going to be a tad eschew.
The other top four counties are the suburban counties surrounding Marion County where people with higher incomes move to get away from the crime, bad schools and higher taxes in Indianapolis. Those counties have a smaller welfare-dependent population with higher income-earning residents on average. Each of those counties also have very valuable farmland competing with developers looking to build more upscale subdivisions and commercial development in the fastest growing counties in the state of Indiana. Not surprisingly, those counties are all disproportionately populated with people living in larger, more expensive homes. If they want a fair comparison of the relative tax burden, take a look at the amount people are paying in all taxes and fees combined relative to the income they earn where they are living. I suspect the results will be much different.
1 comment:
The Star backs up the Crony-Capitalist and Republicrat Party position that a funding shortfall in Marion County is a result of the residents of Marion County not being taxed enough.
Last night I bought a carry out from a Restaurant and paid a food and beverage tax.
The Star will never publish an article that displays all the funds diverted into Corporate Welfare Programs. Here I am thinking of the Direct and Indirect Subsidies to to the Crony-Capitalists.
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