A recent commentary by Dr. John Stapleford (“Does that recent tax proposal make you want to stay or go?”, March 5) is an argument against income tax increases based more on politics than economics. I would like to discuss just two important tax details left out of his analysis.
His spreadsheet image showed that the proposed Delaware income tax rate increases make the state’s income taxes higher than for Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida (Florida has zero state income tax). However, Stapleford said nothing about the sales taxes in Pennsylvania (6%), Maryland (6%), New Jersey (6.625%) and Florida (6%, with exceptions). I found all these numbers on the internet in less than five minutes. Sales tax in Delaware? Zero! Now, how about property taxes, which Stapleford also did not talk about? The Tax Foundation website has an essay titled, “How high are property taxes in your state?” that includes a map clearly showing that Delaware has a property tax also lower than in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. It took less than five minutes on the internet to find and read that. My impression from this “ballpark” (but larger) view of these tax details is that it is unlikely that this more complete Delaware tax picture would cause people to “go” or want to “go” on account of the tax proposal.
Why does Mr. Stapleford present — in my opinion — a highly incomplete and, therefore, misleading tax picture of Delaware and base it on a relatively minor tax issue? Well, it might have more to do with his affiliation with the Caesar Rodney Institute (CRI) and its bias. According to Wikipedia, CRI is a member of the “State Policy Network.” That network has its own website and many member organizations across the country and in every state. They are devoted to conservative and Libertarian issues, which would be expected to include opposition to taxes and tax increases.
Everybody has a right to their opinions, as well as their favorite themes of politics, but, in my opinion, there is more politics than economics in Stapleford’s commentary. And I will not be leaving Delaware over such a trivial tax increase. Lots of things here, in Delaware, are nicer than elsewhere, and some things here are even priceless.
Arthur E. Sowers
Harbeson
