BCT Editorial – 8/8/07

This page was last updated on August 27, 2007.

One factor; Editorial; Beaver County Times; August 8, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“The tax burden that retirees in Pennsylvania face is not unique.

“With the exception of two business levies, the overall tax picture in Pennsylvania isn’t onerously high, even though taxes often are cited as a reason for Pennsylvania’s slow growth.

“The Tax Foundation reports Pennsylvania’s state/local tax burden of 10.8 percent for this year is 24th highest nationally and near the national average of 11 percent. Pennsylvania residents pay $4,405 per capita in state and local taxes.”

[RWC] Translation: Hooray! We’re #26!

“The Washington-based think tank also ranked the commonwealth 22nd in its State Business Tax Climate Index for 2007. The index compares the states in five areas of taxation that impact business: corporate taxes; individual income taxes; sales taxes; unemployment insurance taxes; and taxes on property, including residential and commercial property.

“Neighboring states ranked as follows: New York, 47th; New Jersey, 48th; Delaware, ninth; Maryland, 29th; West Virginia, 34th; and Ohio, 49th.

“Please keep this in mind whenever anyone blames taxes as the reason for slow growth.

“They’re only one factor out of many in the growth equation.”

[RWC] Let’s use a football analogy. If the Steelers were the subject of this editorial, would it attempt to tell us finishing 17th or 14th out of 32 teams (the equivalent of 26th or 22nd out of 50 states) at the end of the season isn’t so bad as long as the Bengals, Browns, and Ravens have worse records?