We live a few miles from an exclusive golf resort, Bandon Dunes, a huge complex for serious golfers who enjoy playing on links with ocean views and panoramas resembling Scottish links.
This picture was not taken there.
Most of the locals would love to play golf; but, we can't afford the fees and the clothing, and the caddies, and the entire experience of Bandon Dunes. Most of us will hit the ball at a miniature golf place, or in our backyards, or at a less expensive venue.
The trouble Oregon will have in the election at the end of this month is convincing citizens to up the business tax base. Our initial business tax is $10-ten dollars. Yes, ten dollars. Prop. 66 and 67 ask the voters to reform this ordinance by making the tax commensurable to the income the business generates.
Fair. Equitable.
The opposition contends that passing these propositions, upping business taxes and upping the percentage of income tax for folks with income above 250,000, doing that would imperil job creation.
Our caddies at Bandon Dunes are part-time college students. The number hired is proportional to the number of players who fly in on their private jets to play for the weekend. These folks are dropping an average of $3,000 for a few days of golf in an unspoiled paradise. Charging a higher tax base will have no effect on the number of golfers or caddies. It will, however, have an effect on the number of teachers Bandon School District will layoff.
The State coffers have fewer dollars for education; schools are forced to cut additional days and additional staff if these propositions fail.
Politics is a game we all play.
I understand where you are coming from. It's half of an argument that goes like this: Businesses will pay a higher tax and will not adjust any of the salaries of their hard-working employees or raise any prices. People who make $250K will not adjust their behavior in any way as the taxes rise. They will continue to vacation and play golf and over-tip. Teachers will be hired. Education will improve. The world will be well. If true, you're right. There's a big 'if' in there.
ReplyDeleteI already have my ballot marked and ready to drop off downtown tomorrow ......... Your blog name looked 'so right' with your post title today ~~ and funny too.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you weave your political commentary with an analogy! You are such a pro!!! (sorry...couldn't resist!) ~Janine XO
ReplyDeleteour politics bleed beyonf election day too in how we live our lives and decisions we make. giving more than mouth service...
ReplyDeletepolitics is a game i can make no sense of.....
ReplyDeleteAl those bare arms and cotton shirts made me shiver! It is SO cold here.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see your photos!
Who needs politics anyway!!!!
Nuts in May
Yes on 66 and 67 - for sure.
ReplyDeletegood luck with that. We seem to have so many taxes in Maine that it's discouraging!
ReplyDeletePlease keep us updated on this!
ReplyDeleteIs that the PGA golf course? My uncle owns tons of property adjacent to the PGA golf course in Bandon and they keep offering him more and more money and he keeps turning them down. I should really get up there to visit him, he owns beach front too.
ReplyDeleteI hope it works out as you wish.
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting post. I enjoyed it. You expressed your thoughts very well and I totally agree with you.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I loved the analogy too.
My little town is a big PGA town, and taxes are pretty darn high here.
ReplyDeleteCatching up on your posts --- I offer this: One would think these measures would be a slam dunk (to use another sports analogy) but you and I know how things are in Oregon.
ReplyDeleteKeep the faith, and thank you for writing.
I have to be honest in saying that I don't completely understand what is going on here as I haven't ever followed American politics in a big way.
ReplyDeleteI gather by what you are saying is that greed is alive and well and the basics for a healthy life are being ignored.
best wishes for improvements
Ribbon
$250,000 seems like such a fortune to me (on my teacher's salery).
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
go rosaria! Hope this works out in the way you would like. I think it's best for these things to be dealt with on the state and local levels. A course with caddies paying only $10 sounds pretty ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteWonderful analogy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Politics and Golf. Those two go so well hand in hand.
ReplyDeleteI wore those pants on Friday.
This all sounds pretty outrageous to me, Rosaria. It doesn't seem fair to me that businesses earning $250K can get away with paying minimal taxes and while their time away enjoying their time on luxurious greens, with vistas of the ocean while lower income workers bear the brunt of the taxes!
ReplyDeleteIt does make the ideology of communism seem appealing. Except as we all know when it's actual it is as corrupt as any other system. The world is such a place of haves and have nots. We need to see our world as one world.
ReplyDeletexx
Politics... are there any honest politicians? Or is that an oxymoron?
ReplyDeleteOregonians are extremely opinionated about taxes. You still don't have a sales tax, do you?
ReplyDeleteGood post. Hope your props pass.
ReplyDelete>>"Politics is a game we all play."<<
ReplyDeleteSorry to disagree. I don't think of politics as a game. It seems to me to be rather like living in an never-ending junior-high school class. :-)
I burst out laughing when you said this picture is not taken there.
ReplyDeletehar har
Beautiful granddaughter.
x
xoxo
We have to have a general election, here in the UK, by June this year. The electioneering has started already and the election has yet to be called. By the time we get to the election I am sure that we will all be heartily fed up of politics.
ReplyDelete$10 does seem ridiculously low, and I do agree with your points. However, I'd just like to point out that not all businesses generate millions or make their owners "rich." I am a small business owner, and on top of my regular income tax I have to pay business profits tax both federally and on the state level. I sure can't afford to jet to some location for the weekend to pay golf. I'm just a regular income person like everyone, but I am paying about 10% more in taxes than evryone else salaried.
ReplyDeleteSo, yeah, businesses should pay much more than $10 - but what IS fair and right to all?
I'm thinking you need to send this to your newspaper. Perfect piece.
ReplyDeleteAnd we all need to keep our eye on the players. I always vote yes on all of the school bond props, no matter where we live. But Oregon has some serious taxes. Our kids live in Multnomah county and pay close to 11% income tax. Of course they are no where close to the $250 K at issue.
ReplyDeleteAre they really only $10 for the golf course?? Now that's a crime.
Them with the most amount of money at their disposal must now pay for the services they stole that money from need. we labored to make their wealth then they cut our jobs. Seems like fair to me.
ReplyDeleteAs a small city official I fully understand the dilemma. My town is a city of retirees, retired largely from very large cities with much higher taxes. Everytime any group proposes an increase in any tax, they rise up in arms and defeat it.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for the school district, the district covers a large rural area and several other small communities. The general population usually overrides the negative vote of my town.
I hope your vote is heard Rosaria, it is the voice of most sense, your analogy made this post interesting for me.
ReplyDeleteThe school is a business? I am confused. Why should a school district be paying business tax. Perhaps I am missing something.
ReplyDeletethanks for your great and helpful comment on my blog.
How do we always let teachers fall to the bottom of the food chain when we all know that none of us would know how to feed ourselves without them, eh?
ReplyDeleteThe stone is thrown, Rosaria. No way of stopping it ormai.
ReplyDelete