Chasing the Golden Goose

Thanks to Mark for the heads up.

I'm just going to print what he sent me.

Taxman,

I know you may have run across this but it seems to fit in with the theme of your blog. Looks like Amelia is considering an emergency tax referendum to collect 1% of the winnings from that megamillions ticket purchased in their city limits.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/NEWS01/805210329/1056/COL02

A couple of things struck me, beyond just the shamlessness of a city govenment setting up a special tax to nail a single lottery winner. First, that the mayor has the audacity to give planning advice to the victim he's about ready to shake down...

"If it was me, the first thing I would do is seek a financial-planning firm to help me ... protect my earnings."

then at the end of the article it quotes:
"An earnings tax would cover weekly curbside trash removal, and it could enable Amelia to cope with a rising demand for other services."

I don't know. I guess it bothers me that apparently they are over budget on something as basic as trash removal. The implication is that Amelia is in serious need of a windfall to make ends meet. "Whew! Lucky for us that guy won just in time for us to pay the garbage man." And that the city feels compelled to provide "other services" simply because there is demand for them. IMHO, just because there is demand for services does not mean they must be supplied. There's also a high demand for filet mignon, rides on the space shuttle, and murder for hire contract. Does that mean the government should supply these also; on that basis of demand alone?

Sorry about the rant. Sometimes stuff like this makes me wonder if "we the people" are in charge of our country anymore.

I couldn't agree more.

Amelia may want to do some homework. I know some cities in this area tax gambling winnings but you have to be a resident to do so. Since the lottery is run out of Cleveland, I believe that the "nexus" of the winnings will come from there since the carryout will obviously not pay out.

In addition, you know damn well, if a resident won that jackpot the people who run that office won't keep their mouths shut; they'll be blabbing in every dumpy bar in Amelia. The "poor" person will have to deal with every other hand out right along side of Amelia.