Contributed by Joe Ford
I've read there's one bush plane for every 60 people populating this state. From my camp on the Matanuska River I've endured the noise of about 100,000 citizens worth of planes so far this summer. My friend Wayne informs me those bush planes aren't licensed. There is no registration fee for bush planes in this state. You have to register your car every 2 years to the tune of close to $200 but bush planes get a free ride.
Snow machines and 4-wheelers are required to pay a registration fee if they want to use state land. Boats and trailers have to be licensed. What's so special about bush planes?
I don't think it would be a stretch to assume the bush plane demographic skews toward the upper end of the economic scale. Maybe that's why they're special.
I smell a revenue source that could help plug a hole in the state's budget.
As long as we're on the state budget subject what about a sales tax?
We're fed an MSM line about how a sales tax would adversely impact the poor. Guess who buys the most stuff. The people with the most money would be my guess. It might impact the poor a little, but the impact would be bigger for people who buy a lot of stuff. That extra money would help plug another budget hole and maybe make a poor person's life a little easier.
Like my friend Willie says, "Don't pee on my back and tell me it's raining."
Now, what about subsidies for oil companies? Poor people scramble to make ends meet while millionaires and billionaires walk away with the profit from our resource. I don't buy the line, “if we tax 'em too much they'll leave the state.” See ya! We'll pump the crap ourselves or better yet, shut this filthy energy source down and figure out another way. We are resourceful up here. At least we used to be, till oil money stole our imagination and made us fat and lazy.
I have another idea. When the weather is outstanding, like it has been for most of the summer, tourists have to pay double... I'm just sayin'...
Who writes the rules favors their interests. We have to stop letting corporate lackeys call the shots.
There's enough money out there to fund education, help old people, help conservation and the homeless and pay out a full dividend.
Like my friend Willie says…
