Taxes By Any Other Name

Brace yourself for more tax increases!

Politicians in both parties have learned some new words.

Words like “fee”, “user fee”, “tariff”, or my personal favorite, originated by former South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds… “revenue enhancements”.

In South Dakota, hunters, campers and fishermen just saw a tax increase… excuse me… a fee increase.  With the continual overspending on a federal level, taxpayers should expect a string of tax increases as the Congress comes together to strike a “grand bargain” on the debt ceiling.

But be encouraged!  These are not REAL tax increases, just a few more dollars here, a few more dollars there.  All out of your pocket.  All to fund more government overspending.

When we are reviewing the voting record of candidates (like South Dakota web.ad08chevyGovernor Mike Rounds), it might be helpful to take a look at the definition of taxation:

“a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions”

If it isn’t voluntary, and it takes money out of your pocket, it’s a tax.

A great example of taxes in the form of  “fees” is the list of tax increases on a recent campaign piece being debated in the US Senate race in South Dakota.  The piece has a comparison that shows former Governor Mike Rounds has supported 41 tax increases since 2001, Larry Rhoden supported 57 tax increases, compared to Stace Nelson supporting a total of 4.  There is much unhappiness in the Rhoden and Rounds campaigns about this “unfair” representation of their records.  We would welcome either of them to “correct” the record here.  The main objection seems to be that “fees” are not taxes.  In case you haven’t seen this comparison, please take time to look it over.

We have plenty of tax and spenders in the US Senate.  Should we consider sending another one from South Dakota?  It seems pretty clear that Stace Nelson has the best record on resisting the temptation to raise taxes… (and fees).

A tax by any other name is still a tax.

***Gordon Howie is a nationally syndicated author, host of Liberty Today TV and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***

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3 comments for “Taxes By Any Other Name

  1. Diego
    November 12, 2013 at 5:40 am

    Question: Fees are necessary to pay for the things USERS want from
    government services – right? For example, dairy inspection being paid by fees. Should that not really be the way to go to raise gov’t revenues, i.e., the actual user of the services pays for it instead of everyone else having to pay for the user? I am for the one receiving the services or usage paying for it instead of picking my pocket to enrich others.

    • November 12, 2013 at 8:28 am

      I don’t disagree with you on the fees being paid by users. The question is, however… isn’t that essentially a tax? And when those fees are raised, isn’t that a tax increas? short answer is yes

      • Diego
        November 12, 2013 at 6:10 pm

        Yes – like the Use tax is simply the sales tax on items purchased out of state. User tax or User fees – all the same. Again the user should pay the freight – not the non-user.

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