[Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics

[Alex Bell]

Wally,

I have a big problem with the lottery in that states see it as an
automatic problem solver for money shortfalls. They don't seem to want
to cut any spending or tighten the belt during tough times. They always
sell the program as "for the children" by saying that the education will
benefit and sell it to the people in that manner. It's a flat out lie. 

In Ohio, they said if they could have the lottery, there would be no
further school funding problems. They said the money would go to
schools. If anyone checks, they will find that the money goes to the
General Fund, that money pit that the legislature dips into to spend for
anything. The schools get the same amount of money as does the lottery
agent. I think the last time I saw the information, it was .065% of the
lottery ticket sale. For every dollar they got 6 1/2 cents. That is not
what we had in mind when the lottery was approved.

I would approve of a lottery here in NC if, and ONLY if, the law said
that the lottery money would be used to pay the lottery expenses and
then be applied to the education department and highway department.
There should be a provision that if the Governor or anyone else trys to
raid that fund that they be taken out and shot. Or hung. By the -als.
Not that I'm emotional about this, but it is a recurring theme in NC.
The governor has made things difficult by increasing his pet programs in
times of financial crisis and taken money from "protected trust funds".
So it needs to be written in law that he cannot touch the money, and
that money has to be used for it's intended prupose. 


Alex

Wally Buck wrote:
> 
> If you wiped all of these out
> >and raised the flat tax rate so it covered all the expenses of
> >government, you might be right about a simple flat tax - have to think
> >about that - but you have to think about how phony a flat tax would be
> >if you just get around it by then continuing, and adding to, all the
> >other taxes that currently make a flat tax idea a joke.
> >
> >stan
> >
> 
> Stan,
> 
> That is what I have been saying. I am not in favor of the current tax plan.
> I am in favor of a MAJOR tax overhaul. As you pointed out with the
> tollbooths, it is too inefficient to collect and account for most of the
> various taxes. As every little tax creeps in, the cost to collect these
> taxes increases as well.
> 
> Regarding the lottery, Brad you know it is coming to TN but I have to admit
> I voted against the bill that would allow the law change. It seems silly to
> me that the Government is involved in games of chance. I am not against
> gambling; I just don’t think the Government should be serving as a bookie. I
> think people should be able to bet on whatever they want to bet on. I don’t
> gamble except when I drive the local roads or fly Delta. Now if a private
> individual or corporation wanted to have a lottery I say go right ahead. I
> hope it solves TN’s woes but I have my doubts.
> 
> The sad part is we will probably never see major tax overhaul; too many
> special interest groups will fight to protect their exceptions.
> 
> Hey, it is still a great country to live in!
> 
> Wally
> 
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