BOHICA, St. Louis: The New Forest Park Tax is Coming

I spent a half hour on the phone with a research firm last night, hopefully helping to squelch a bad idea. The research firm wanted to gauge my support for a tax increase in St. Louis City and St. Louis County to fund Forest Park.

Hey, the questions really offered me all the options: A sales tax increase or a property tax increase; controlled by St. Louis City, one of the existing tax-spending unelected district bodies, or a new independent body designed to suck tax money; used specifically to improve Forest Park, used for Forest Park and St. Louis City parks, or used for Forest Park and parks in your neighborhood.

Of course, I said I would not approve any increase in taxes. I recognize that any increase in taxes earmarked for some specific project means that the government will spend the savings on other continuing, expanding programs that could, sometime in the future, exceed current revenue, requiring the government to float the idea of a targeted tax that sits atop all other general taxes.

Plus, it gives visionary leaders like Rod Blagojevich funds to raid for ongoing expenses. (h/t Free Will.)

The very nature of the questioning on the survey indicates that the very best bureaucratic minds are working and spending money they cannot allocate to actually improving Forest Park on getting some sort of tax increase on the ballot. Hey, it’s only one fifth of one percent, is that too much?

It’s not a lot in its own, but each ballot initiative accumulates, and each one represents a double tax increase: not only are we paying for whatever the tax targets, but the money left over in the general funds will instead purchase a new program with ongoing and growing expenses.

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1 thought on “BOHICA, St. Louis: The New Forest Park Tax is Coming

  1. As some of your readers may not be aware, St. Louis City does not exist within St. Louis County. What makes this particularly frustrating, is that St. Louis City is essentially grabbing for taxation rights over citizens of the county. But can you blame them? They are doing a rather poor job of improving their own financial situation. So, has the City of St. Louis asked for money from St. Charles County? How about Jefferson County? Certainly, people in those jurisdictions appreciate the park as well.

    Citizens of St. Louis County should be outraged!

    Contact County Executive Charlie A. Dooley (cdooley@stlouisco.com ) and let him know you don’t approve.

    While you are at it, contact the Director of Revenue, Eugene K. Leung (ELeung@stlouisco.com)

    Let him know you won’t appreciate him giving your hard earned money to other jurisdictions.

    W.S.

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