Non-Resident Workers Think City Tax Increase Unfair
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Columbus Tax Increase
A majority of local income taxes are paid for by employees who don't live in Columbus, though.COLUMBUS, Ohio—City of Columbus voters will decide in August whether to approve a 0.5 percent hike on the existing 2 percent income tax.
It would be the city’s first tax increase in 27 years.
A majority of local income taxes are paid for by employees who don’t live in Columbus, though.
NBC 4’s Ana Jackson GOT ANOTHER VIEW on the issue.
Molly Stone works in Columbus but lives outside the city limits in West Jefferson.
She won’t have a vote on the proposed income-tax increase.
“I think folks could really take a look at their spending habits. It bothers me that now I’m going to have to pay more taxes to Columbus when I pay taxes here in West Jeff,“ she said.
West Jefferson residents have to pay a 1 percent income tax to the village in addition to the Columbus income tax.
Peggy Greenwood lives in West Jefferspm and has worked in Columbus for the past 20 years.
She said she thinks an increase would be unfair.
“I don’t think I should have to pay 2 percent in there. I don’t even live in Columbus, but I do live here, and I should help out my community by paying 1 percent,“ Greenwood said.
“We know it’s tough, but the consequences of not achieving the tax will be devastating for our community,“ Mayor Michael Coleman said Monday.
Services such as police, fire and trash collection are on the line—services from which Coleman said the 53 percent of out-of-towners who pay city income taxes benefit.
“I’m at work eight hours a day. Maybe in one way I do benefit from it because I am working there, but I don’t benefit from it here where I live,“ Greenwood said.
The .05 percent increase would equal to $50 dollars more for every $10,000 earned.
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Reader Reactions
Didn’t we fight a war a couple hundred years ago for “Taxation without representaion”.
@pwhited - I think we’re disagreeing on semantics here.
If you, as a resident, stop paying your city income tax, at some point people with guns (police) will come and put you in jail.
If the city of Columbus cancels city trash service and reallocates funds somewhere else, you will pay the same amount in taxes. If you don’t, people with guns (police) will come and take you to jail.
I pay the same amount in taxes that you do. Unfortunately, I do not see City of Columbus trash trucks at my curb every week - I have to pay for my trash pickup. If I did not pay City of Columbus income taxes, people with guns (police) would come take me to jail.
The amount of taxes does not decrease for those who do not get garbage pickup. Therefore, those who do get garbage pickup get it for free.
If you insist on believing that garbage pickup is not free, then you must realize that 53% of the costs for your garbage pickup is subsidized by those who also must pay extra for garbage pickup in their areas.
Jazzcat, you need to reread my post. Columbus residents do NOT get an invoice for trash pickup, but we DO still pay for it through taxes. It’s not free, never has been, never will be.
I live in Columbus, but work all around the state doing contracting. EVERY municipality requires income taxes on all my employees working in their jurisdiction. Yes they live in places like London and pay taxes in Marysville, Lancaster, and any where else I am lucky enough to find them a job. Then they pay local tax on top of that, just like you.
@mytwocentsworth - at lest you have the right to vote against the mayor who is mis-spending money. The majority of those who pay Columbus income tax cannot vote the mayor out without committing a felony (election fraud).
Hey LCB64…I do just fine, don’t worry about me. Get your facts straight, and erm, what’s the difference? I agree with pwhited, mismanagement does not equal the right to charge more, but the fact is we will lose valuable services and layoff our police officers and firefighters if we don’t…we need to pay the bills, while calling for a new mayor in the next election.
@pwhited -
As long as I lived in Columbus, I never received an invoice from the City for trash pickup. When did they start doing this?
“Free” trash pickup? Where can I sign up for “free” trash pickup? I live in Columbus, and work here as well. I pay city taxes for services that INCLUDE trash pickup. It’s not FREE, boneheads. No, I don’t get a monthly invoice from a company like Flower Garbage, but my trash pickup IS. NOT. FREE.
And by the way, this particular resident of Columbus also thinks the tax increase is wrong. Mismanagement of our tax dollars doesn’t qualify as a reason to raise taxes. My wages aren’t going up at all this year, thanks to the economy the company I work for froze wages. We need better city management, and the solution to that is to get rid of Mikey and his rubber stamp city council. KICK THE BUMS OUT.
No mytwocentsworth - it’s “only” $50 MORE per 10,000 of income. More - as in MORE than we’re already paying. Pretty important word there.
Whining??? Only $50 per $10,000 of income?? You must have a very low salary or you failed math class! Its hundreds of additional dollars per year. I say, the people that want to pay - PAY IT! Leave the rest of us alone!
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