Recently, the Dispatch ran a guest column by Tommy Hester, Vance County Commissioner and local developer. Hester masterfully claimed that redistribution of tax revenue is bad and that redistribution of tax revenue is good.
Hester claims that a proposed legislative plan would “penalize counties that are the state’s main centers of commerce” by redistributing sales tax dollars to counties that are not as well off. Economic powerhouses like Vance County will have to subsidize less successful counties. Newsflash! We are a Tier 1 county. According to the NC Department of Commerce 2015 NORTH CAROLINA DEVELOPMENT TIER DESIGNATIONS, there are only 6 less successful counties in NC. Under Hester’s leadership, Vance County is #94 out of 100 economically. According to Hester, this redistribution is wrong.
He then argues that legislators should get behind Governor McCrory’s various and sundry multimillion dollar incentive programs aimed at bringing jobs and revenues to distressed counties. These, Hester really likes. From where does he think the money comes? It is taken from successful counties and redistributed to less successful counties. Although Vance County has received millions from these programs, most of the projects failed. We’re still #94. Political cronies, however, have benefitted greatly when money taken from elsewhere lined their pockets.
Hester is right, though. Redistribution is a perpetual failure. But he can’t have it both ways.
For counties as well as individuals, the same maxims apply.
If you take something you didn’t earn, you’re a thief. If you ask for something you didn’t earn, you’re a beggar. If you expect something you didn’t earn, you’re a socialist.
The rich get richer by doing things that make them rich. Ditto for the poor.
Maybe if our leaders did less with our money, we could do more!
Rusty McMahon
Kittrell