Couple months ago Republican County Commissioners moved forward a budget with an 8 dollar tax decrease. This was by some derisively called a “Happy Meal” tax cut and subsequently vetoed by the Democrat executive. Later that veto was over-ridden by a 7-2 margin along party lines.
One of the supporters of the cut Republican Mike Schware stated: “It was less about the dollar amount being saved and more about sending a message that taxpayers will not be forgotten when the county has a good year.”
The more I think about the Happy Meal characterization the more it bugs me. Look at it this way. As a resident of Lower Mac that cut put 8 dollars in my pocket. So ya, the cost of 2 happy meals. But take it another step and pair that decrease with the savings from the townships newly adopted homestead program that I proposed last January. On average the program saves homeowners 19 dollars.
Another $19 in a vacuum? 5 Happy Meals. Add it to the County cut? Now we’re talking a swing of $27. That’s 7 Happy Meals. Year after year adding up. For me? I don’t eat at Mcdonalds but I drive. $27 is a tank of gas.
Let’s go one last step. Add onto our figure the last EPSD tax increase. Averaged $58 per per household per year. I own a property within the avg. So for me, the cumulative swing is $85. Here are all the local tax increases and cuts together:
Cumulative impact for Lower Mac residents across all 3 taxing bodies.
Had the district held the line that would be $85 in my pocket. 3 tanks of gas over a year. Do we now see how the phrase “death by 1000 cuts” pertains?
Let’s consider another perspective. I live within my means but I’m lucky to have a successful small business. My wife also has a good job. We’re lucky. What about folks who aren’t? Stats show that Lower Mac has a poverty rate of 4.9%. Very low. Still we have around 1500 residents trying to get by day to day at or below the poverty line. Also a large population of seniors on fixed incomes.
For these folks 85.00 isn’t a laughing matter. They certainly aren’t looking at it in terms of Happy Meals. According to this USDA food costs chart for folks under the poverty line: (using the thrifty plan) At or below the poverty line 85.00 means:
FOR SENIORS: 85.00 feeds two seniors on fixed income for one week.
FOR A SINGLE MOM: 85.00 helps a single mom feed a newborn for 4 weeks, a 9 year old for 2 weeks.
I could go on with other examples but you get the picture. Bottom line is 8 dollars might mean a happy meal for most of us. But for others if we look beyond the one-liners and consider the cumulative tax liability that compounds year after year the impact increases 10 fold. This is where the mindset of “oh it’s just a small tax increase” gets dangerous. These add up.
*Note: Incumbent County candidates Brad Osborne, Amanda Holt and Vic Mazziotti all supported this tax cut before it was vetoed by the Democrat Executive. They and other Republicans needed a super-majority to over-ride.
Republicans saw a $2.3 million dollar surplus and believed as Commissioner Schware stated that when the county has a good year, taxpayers should also. This thinking also sets us up for another measured decrease next year. Maybe it’s another Happy Meal decrease? But as we can see from above, that’s fine by me. It all adds up.
Lehigh County ended 2014 with a $2.3 million surplus
