Wednesday, May 7, 2008

On "Temporary" Taxes

Lew Bryson over at Seen Through a Glass points out a "temporary" tax that's gone on longer than Shelby County's wheel tax:

Say the name, "Johnstown," and people think "flood." The flood they're thinking of was in 1889, a catastrophe caused by a dam failure, but there were other floods in Johnstown, in 1894, 1907, 1924, and 1977. The biggest flood after the 1889 event, though, was the "St. Patrick's Day Flood" in 1936. Damage was extensive, and the State responded with clean-up and recovery aid. The expenditures were covered by a quickly-imposed Emergency Tax of 10% on all wine and liquor sold in the State Stores.

You may have heard that we're still paying this Emergency Tax. Well, that's not really true; we're no longer paying a 10% Johnstown Flood Emergency Tax. Don't be silly; that was over 70 years ago! No, we're paying an 18% Johnstown Flood Emergency Tax for an "emergency" that ended 71 years ago, because the State raised the tax to 15% in 1963 and then again to 18% in 1968. That's some emergency. [Emphasis original]
I wonder, 60 years from now, if someone will be writing about the Wheel Tax in the same manner?

If I'm still around, I'll buy ya a beer if they do.

No comments: