Necessary Roughness

The Tax Foundation has published the 2007 State Business Tax Climate Index.

The SBTCI is designed to measure the competitiveness of each state’s tax system so lawmakers, the media and the public alike can gauge how their state compares to other states. They can also use the SBTCI to pinpoint specific changes that will increase the competitive standing of their state.

Good state tax systems levy low, flat rates on the broadest bases possible, and they treat all taxpayers the same. Variation in the tax treatment of different industries favors one economic activity or decision over another. The more riddled a tax system is with these politically motivated preferences the less likely it is that business decisions will be made in response to market forces. The SBTCI rewards those states that apply these principles in five important areas of taxation: individual income taxes, major business taxes, sales taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, and taxes on wealth or assets such as property.

Wyoming and South Dakota are 1^st and 2^nd respectively. Ohio and Rhode Island are 49^th and 50^th.

If it makes sense to you that punishing businesses with high taxes is not a good way to keep Ohio competitive and to increase jobs in the state, then show your support at the polls accordingly. If you don’t like Republican, at least vote Libertarian. Democrats and Socialists aren’t going to help Ohio out here.