Fraters Libertas

The Star Tribune Has A Problem With Capitalism?

Local talk radio host Jason Lewis weighs in with an editorial on who really bears the tax burden in Minnesota. Surprisngly enough his opinions are a bit different from the Star Tribune editorial board:


In its Feb. 23 editorial "More on taxes," the Star Tribune continues to confuse disposable income with tax burden. It is hardly newsworthy that the rich have more after-tax income than the poor. If that seems traumatic, the newspaper's problem isn't with tax policy -- it's with capitalism.

The true measure of who is bearing the brunt of taxes cannot be measured as a percent of income. By that standard, sales and property taxes should rise with personal income. Perhaps the baker should charge the well-to-do twice as much for the same loaf of bread?

No, the best measure of the tax burden is the percent of total taxes paid. And by that measure, that fortunate top 10 percent of Minnesota households pay 38 percent of the total state and local tax burden and 53 percent of the individual income tax collected.