Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Fees are taxes

Governor Ted Strickland gave his state of the state address last week and pledged not to raise taxes to help balance the budget, even in these difficult economic times.

However, when his budget was made public, it included increases in 120 different fees - from drivers licenses and car registrations to new business filings.

It should come as no surprise that I believe fees are, indeed, taxes. But you might be surprised to know that the Governor agrees with me.

Shortly after taking office in 2007, Strickland made it perfectly clear that he opposed both higher taxes and higher fees as a way to raise more money, saying, "I think higher fees are higher taxes." Columbus Dispatch, 2-3-09

So, if higher fees are higher taxes and he's promised not to raise taxes, how can he raise fees?

Oh, well, you see, "not every fee is like every other fee."

Translation: now that I want to raise fees to balance the budget, they're not really a tax.

2 comments:

skeeter1107 said...

Oh...I see. I feel better now knowing that it's fees instead of taxes. It's insulting.

Call it whatever you want. If it costs more money to function in everyday life in Ohio, then what it's called is irrelevant. It costs more money. Period.

Timothy W Higgins said...

Maggie,

Perhaps Gov. Strickland has simply paraphrased, and "all taxes and fees are created equal, but some are more equal than others..."

Then again, perhaps Gov. Strickland has discovered what President Obama is only now beginning to realize, it's easier to campaign than to lead.

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