Morgan Messenger, Independent Herald – It’s almost Halloween, that scary time of year of ghosts, goblins, and the promise to eliminate the tax on your car (or hearse). And there is nothing more terror-inducing than ill-advised tax cuts and the loss of local control. So turn out all the lights, hide under a blanket, and get ready to have your bones rattle as you read these four ghoulish charts about Amendment 2.
Read the full op-ed.
What is Amendment 2? If passed, Amendment 2 would amend the constitution to give the state legislature the authority to exempt business machinery and equipment, business inventory, and personal vehicles from local property taxation. Despite much of the rhetoric around the amendment, it does not actually eliminate the “car tax” itself. Instead, it simply gives the legislature the authority to do so, along with a host of other taxes. Notably, the amendment says nothing about replacing the lost revenue for counties, schools, and municipalities, and the legislature would not be required to replace any of the lost revenue. While the constitution currently protects local revenue, that protection would be significantly weakened by Amendment 2.
Amendment 2 would give the legislature control over 27 percent of total property tax revenue in the state–over $515 million–resulting in a severe loss of revenue for counties, municipalities, and school districts and marking a significant shift in power away from local governments and to state government.
