Tuesday, June 17th, 2003 By Joshua Hall
Fiscal Conservatives Take Their Shot
[Lee Leonard, "Sales-tax vote should mold budget, some say," Columbus Dispatch, 17 June 2003.]
It would appear that the fiscal conservatives in the Ohio House are making one last attempt to stave off a general tax increase. The latest proposal involves freezing government expenditures at current levels for six months until voters have the opportunity to vote on an increase during the November election.
It’s unclear whether this plan is viable politically. If possible, however, the moratorium on new spending will demonstrate that the “harsh” cuts that would have to be undertaken to go without a tax increase were not so harsh after all.
As an aside, for anyone curious why government keeps getting bigger and bigger? Here a relevant quote from Rep. Charles Calvert.
“No matter how small the dollar amount, they say, I’ve got to have it or you can’t have my vote.”
In the terminology of academics this is called “log-rolling.” These sorts of institutional problems are why constitutional changes like Tax and Expenditure Limitations are so important.
