Want to Fight Inflation? - Stop All Tax Increases! | Eastern North Carolina Now

Want to Fight Inflation? - Stop All Tax Increases!

  It's been quite a hiatus since my last column and for that I apologize but as they say "life happened". After the election I've been very busy working and with new volunteer causes so I have had to devote more time to those endeavors than previously. But here comes the return of the Ceres Corner.

  Today's column will deal with what we are all facing on a daily basis and which so many of us are struggling with on a daily basis just to survive. That is inflation. Inflation is at epidemic levels and there's no end in sight. The causes of the current explosion of inflation can be debated but anyone that is honest has to admit that the Biden Administration's decisions to attack the energy industry starting with their canceling of the Keystone Pipeline on day one of his Presidency is the primary cause of today's troubles. As shipping and gasoline prices have skyrocketed, the effects are catastrophic across the economy. Wage increases have not been able to keep pace and if anything are putting an even more destructive upward pressure on the economy.

  So what can we do locally to combat the inflation that is primarily driven by Washington policies of high spending, over-regulation, demonization of the energy industry, and incompetent economic policy? The sad answer is not very much. However, there is quite a lot that the County and City governments can do to not add to the problem.

  Primary to that is to not raise any taxes and by any I mean any. There is deep pressure to do so as costs to budgets are increasing due to the price increases we are suffering under the Biden-caused inflation. Conventional wisdom might lead some to think tax increases would take money out of a hyper-inflated economy and thus lower inflation. But that is not how it works in the real world.

  Tax increases of any kind will be paid by consumers and will disproportionately hurt the working poor and the middle class. When businesses are forced to pay higher property taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes or the taxes disguised by "fees" such as the stormwater fees the City of Washington snuck into last year's budget they are forced to either layoff workers, go out of business, or raise prices. Most choose to raise prices in order to survive. The result is an upward pressure on inflation.

  Beaufort County and the City of Washington cannot claim to care about the working poor and middle class if they continue to propose tax increases of any kind or "fee increases" which is political liar speak for tax increases. Demand your elected officials don't add to the inflation problem on the local level by opposing ALL tax increases.