The Great Wealth Transfer

Rise UP-- a coalition of groups that earn their lucrative livings riding the taxpayer funded gravy train--has announced a plan to abscond money from those who make their living in the private sector and transfer it to line their own pockets. Guys, I'm incensed, and if you actually care about children, families, and the middle class, you should be too.

The plan would raise income taxes for anyone making more than $40,000 per year, and would effectively increase the gas tax by 11 cents per gallon. 

First, let's talk about the organizations and individuals that crafted this plan. Every last one of them is on the government gravy train in one way or another, so any plan that takes from my wallet without making any cuts to government personally benefits them. The organizations include Kansas Center for Economic Growth and Kansas Action for Children, who are the same organization with two separate names, but OK. Next, the Kansas Contractors Association--also known as people who make their living off of government contracts. Every time a school district builds a football stadium or a recreation center or builds a room for a $10,000 Baby Grand piano, a member of the KCA earns his wings, err, gets a cut. The last two organizations involved are the Kansas Organization for State Employees--so you know, the people making more than they would doing the same jobs in the private sector and earning a more glorious pension than your paltry 401K will likely ever yield. And finally, the Kansas National Education Association--the teacher's union. Guys, these people don't have your best interests in minds. They have their own wallets in mind. Visions of permanent job security and vacation homes are dancing in their heads. The next time any of them suggests for ONE second that a person like me--who is struggling to keep the bills paid without sinking into debt--is being selfish for thinking she should get to keep more of the money she earns, I want you to remember just how self interested these scam artist that made this proposal are. 

Among the individuals who helped craft this Great Wealth Transfer Plan (from our pockets to theirs) was Duane Goossen, former budget director. Yeah, that budget director-- the guy who was investigated by the SEC for financial statement fraud. The guy who absolutely decimated KPERS funding. 

Anyone who says they care about children--anyone who says they care about schools--can NOT be serious in suggesting that the budget solution to a tiny budget project shortfall is to increase the state's gas tax by 11 cents per gallon and to raise taxes on individuals earning more than $40,000 per year. Apparently, we're the top wage earners, those of us who are making hay and stealing from school children what with our $100,000-less-than-the-JoCo-average-property-value homes and our cars manufactured in 2002, and our swanky vacations to places like Atchison, Kansas. Who knew our lavish lifestyles were the cause of so many children suffering?

Look, the part that this self-interested plan was designed to rob the middle class of the money they earned is enraging, but perhaps the most hypocritical part of the entire thing is that this sham of a plan would damage the very people it most portends to help. Do you know how much school districts suffer when the price of gas goes up? It's actually a bit shocking.

Do you know who suffers disproportionately from gas tax increases? Poor people. And it's not even close. With a food tax increase, people can buy less expensive food. It's not ideal, but individuals can buy beans and rice instead of Hamburger Helper. With a gas tax increase, there's no way around it. If you're poor, you're more likely to live a greater distance from work. Those homes in Lenexa are much more expensive than a home in Gardner. And you can't just buy cheaper gas. That's not how it works.

I could rant about this laughable, ridiculous plan for another 50,000 paragraphs, and I'll probably do so tomorrow, but in the meantime: Please be aware that this proposal was intended to make you so enraged that you'll settle for a mere 5-6 cent gas tax increase instead. This is part of a negotiation tactic. But there shouldn't be any room for negotiating on the gas tax, if children, schools and the less fortunate are our priority. The answer isn't just no. It's hell no.