Big business is the big winner in Idaho

A recent Bee headline read, “Committee OKs phase-out of tax on business equipment.”

Once again, the best government money can buy has paid dividends to those who pay for it. Maybe you think that's the taxpayers, but think again. Our Legislature and other elected officials get most of their campaign money from big business. In return, big business gets a tax break they've been working on for several legislative sessions.

The article says that the tax saving will be as much as $120 million. That's money that is helping to pay for our schools. Will we just cut that amount from our school budgets? No. What will happen is that we will pay more income and possibly sales tax to cover the lost revenue. Or, they might just cut some programs that provide safety nets for the most vulnerable of our citizens. Big business wins and the rest of us pay for it.

The Legislature is suggesting in HB 599's Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact that studies (unidentified studies) show that eliminating this tax will stimulate economic activity. They also say that the lost revenue will be between $110 and $120 million but because of increased economic activity that will be cut in half to about $60 million. Even if true, that's still $60 million in tax being shifted from big business to us.

That's our Republican Legislature at work. They don't do much but they make it clear whom they are working for. With more balance (Democrats) in Boise we might one day see more fairness and benefit for the working people of Idaho. But for now big business is the big winner.

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint