Anti-tax fervor undermines the common good

Neal Pierce
Seattle Times
Syndicated columnist

Where will anti-government sentiment call it "libertarian," "tax revolt" or "tea party" take America's cities and towns?

For a top example, Governing magazine's current edition features the draconian measures under way in Colorado Springs, Colo. Responding to anti-tax sentiment that was thriving well before the current recession, the city laid off more than 550 city workers, let street medians go to weeds, closed all its swimming pools and turned off a third of its streetlights.

Beyond all that, Colorado Springs has cut bus service by 100,000 hours, with zero evening or weekend trips — a move that literally strands transit-dependent residents.

Colorado Springs is clearly an extreme. Known for its right-wing politics, it was an early adopter of tax-limitation legislation and has amazingly low property taxes — about $55 per person per year. It relies heavily on sales taxes, also down in the recession. Last November, citizens refused in a referendum to raise property levies to meet rising needs.

So is all of this bad? If people don't want to pay higher taxes, why not cut services? On a quick inspection, Governing correspondent Zach Patton reports, the town doesn't look that seedy. And he quotes City Council member Sean Paige, a self-described libertarian: "There's a crybaby contention in town that says we need to raise taxes."

(More here.)

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