Stop the West Clermont Income Tax (February 15, 2009)

February 15, 2009

The Community Journal

Dear Editor:

Stop the West Clermont Earned Income Tax

The proposed tax will shift the primary burden of funding from all property owners (including businesses) to middle class wage earners. The very rich will be exempt because income from interest, dividends, and capital gains are not considered “earned income” and therefore not subject to the additional 1 percent tax. Business owners will contribute less to school funding as current property tax levies start to roll off.

The bottom line is that the income tax will shift the primary burden of taxation from all residential and business properties and concentrate the burden on middle class wage earners who live in West Clermont. No reciprocity is available regardless of where we work. And no one living outside of West Clermont will be subject to the tax even if they work here.

And if all of that isn’t bad enough, the school treasurer has promised to continue recommending additional property tax levies even if the earnings tax passes!

Property taxes are the best available option. They are paid by everybody living in the community. (Landlords pass on the tax as part of the rent.) I strongly recommend that residents vote no and not discourage high earned income families from wanting to live here.

John E. Becker