The Hill News

The anti-government tenor today seems primarily a reaction to an unfettered federal government. But state and local governments can be even more burdensome and intrusive. It’s here that we’re seeing the greatest barriers to economic growth, the most petty and intrusive expansions of the nanny state, and endless examples of waste, corruption and inefficiency.

As a homeowner and business owner in Arlington County â€" just over the river from Washington, D.0.C â€" I’ve learned first-hand how local government can stifle economic growth. Recently, I received a significant bill the city calls the “Business Tangible Tax” (BTT).  As a county “tax specialist” told me, they “need” to know if I’ve bought a new office chair or any other office supplies so they can tax me on a portion of its value.

Business owners certainly know about this insidious and counter-productive means of raising revenue by taxing businesses on the equipment they re! quire to run their business. It’s a liability that directly increases the upfront costs of creating and expanding a business, at a time when most businesses can least afford additional costs. The BTT and other similar levies ensure less economic development, more instability in the community, and ultimately a smaller tax base from which to raise revenue.

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