Editorials

Pick another route

The transit board got together the other day--that must be a wild time--and heard from consultants who presented the cold truth about improvements and expansion of the Central Arkansas bus system. And they said: Got to raise taxes, either property or sales.

Ugh.

Yes, ugh to the idea that to expand or improve the services offered by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority, the general public has to pony up more property or sales taxes.

Sales taxes disproportionately hurt the poor, who disproportionately ride CATA's buses. Here's hoping CATA's board sees that irony before it figures out a way to get a sales tax on the ballot.

There's something weirdly appealing to governments about sales taxes. In Little Rock, the sales tax is 9 percent on goods and services. Yes, 9 percent. Go to Wal-Mart, buy a pair of jeans, and you have to kick in an extra 9 percent. That breaks down to 6.5 percent for the state, 1 percent for Pulaski County and 1.5 percent for the city.

Wait. There's more. Go out to eat, or stay at a hotel, and it's 2 percent more. That's 11 percent sales tax on the chicken fried steak special, mashed potatoes, cream gravy, green beans and a roll. Iced tea extra.

Add in a 15 percent tip, and grilled cheese at the house starts to sound pretty good.

Could be worse. Could be North Little Rock, where folks have the 6.5 percent state sales tax, 1 percent county, 1 percent city and 3 percent hamburger tax. That's 11.5 percent, a figure that nips Little Rock by an ugly nose.

More taxes for the bus system? Surely the transit board can think of better ideas. It can hardly think of worse.

Editorial on 03/28/2015

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