Health care tax ideas for Vermont Senators

Dear Friends,

Senator Bartlett wants to tax all food containing sugar as one of the first four ingredients.  She thinks we eat too much of it.  Senator Welch wants to punish businesses for their initiative, it would seem, by taxing them into submitting to his vision of utopia.  While I personally do not support more taxes for my fellow Vermonters, I thought of a few for their consideration.  

---Trust funds---

Dividends not directly utilized to underwrite business start- up should be taxed at a higher rate. My thinking here is that people who have been given the most should contribute the most by helping to create jobs for their neighbors.  This seems far more civil than punishing the business people who are already risking and sacrificing to provide opportunities.

  ---Land trusts---

It is widely accepted that the lack of land available for development in some Vermont towns is driving up the cost of housing make it unaffordable to working Vermonters.  The tax revenues could be used to insure those who cannot afford housing could afford insurance.  There is also a school of thought that suggests if housing were more affordable then folks would have more let over for insurance.  

---Non-profit organizations---

Perhaps it is time for this notion to be revisited.  Surely nonprofits whose assets number in the millions of dollars are in a position to assist their fellow Vermonters.  The Nature Conservancy, for example, holds $3,000,000,000 in assets, yet, the State of Vermont gives them control over public land.  

---Politicians---

Any politician who uses his or her current office to campaign for a higher office should be taxed for the benefits incurred as a result of the special status conferred on an incumbent.  For example, former Governor Dean used public money to promote himself and Dr. Dynosaur the week of an election.

---Non-resident students---

A surcharge could be considered for use of roads, rivers and lakes.  The rest of us pay, and according to demographics, the majority are far more well-off than the average Vermont family. 

While I believe the marketplace already has the answer to the health care affordability issue, if our Senators are insistent on taxing Vermonters perhaps they will consider doing so more equitably rather than for punitive purposes or to advance their own social values.   Of course, we could still give Vermonters incentives rather than meting out what amounts to punishment.  We could help to stimulate creativity, ingenuity and competitiveness rather than malaise, dependency and despondency. 

I realize there are details to be worked out.

Thank you for your consideration.