The Biggest Claim of the recent Legislature is that they cut taxes to the tune of $200 million or so this year, with another $200 million to come next year. That's apparently gone over well with Arizona voters, as reliable poll data tell us the governor has the best favorability ratings since he took over.
But $200 million a year is chump change. I've got a program that will really cut taxes for Arizonans.
A few years back that the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico held an election in which they gave their citizens the choice between statehood and status quo. The overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans voted to leave things alone, because they know that right now they've got a helluva deal--they don't pay any federal income tax.
So if you really want to reduce taxes for Arizonans, there's your solution: Revert to territorial status.
In the last century, every territory wanted to be a state, mainly for economic gain. Remember, the federal income tax came after Arizona was admitted to the Union in 1912. And it started out peanuts.
Now we're finding out how much that "representation" we cannot be taxed without costs us.
Too damn much. To hell with representation. They can take it back. Give 'em both senators and all the House members in trade for not paying federal income tax--and any other taxes we can dump. (And I even like most of the current delegation.)
Democrats should go for this because it will reduce the current GOP margin in both houses. Genuine tax cutters should jump at the chance to do something really meaningful. Changing our relationship with the feds doesn't change much how we govern ourselves locally--we'd still decide the important stuff like rezonings and they could still force us to ban freon.
We could start a trend. Who cares who controls Congress? Let's start a new move in the western states to revert status with us. If we all did it, there'd be nothing left but those weenies on the east coast to pay for all that crap their reps always vote to spend money on. Look upon it as a non-violent alternative to secession where we get to keep the military bases, at their expense.
Back when the federal government was manageable and we had no income tax, representation was a good deal. That's no longer so. In exchange for the careers of a few politicians we can stop paying federal income taxes. Altruistic liberals who think taxes are neat could mail in voluntary contributions.
Think of the economic growth, the industry that would relocate, the even more massive development Arizona would get.
Anybody want to start passing petitions?
--By Emil Franzi
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