GRT bites: My latest feature for the Sunday opinion pages on Kenny Guinn's proposed gross receipts tax: How it would work and what impact it's likely to have on Nevada's halting attempts to move beyond a tourism-based business environment.

Steve Frates at Claremont McKenna College summed up the economist's objection to the tax well:

The gross receipts tax would be "the kiss of death for business and economic growth. First, it immediately affects all businesses of all types. Next, the small-margin companies are roto-tilled by this tax."

Sure to cause heartburn in Carson City. Or at least we can hope.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Feedback welcome: As you may have noticed, I've added a comment link. Let me know if you have trouble with it ... and all comments will be valued! Unless, of course, they tick me off ...
Read more
Shameless self-promotion I made my debut as a food critic in the Rocky today, sampling a neat little place near LoDo. If you're stumbling around there late night and need a protein/carb infusion, the buffet's open midnight-3 Friday and Saturdays. This will not become a regular gig, but it's fun.
Read more

Newspapers, 1690-2009?

OK, I have a personal stake here, because the newspaper I work for may fold in a few weeks. But this may be the year that a number of medium-size and larger cities lose their dailies, at least in the form of a paper-and-ink product delivered to the customers' front door. Name your reason for the demise of the daily -- Craigslist surely accelerated a trend that was well under way -- but there are plenty of reasons to be scared scatless when general-interest newspapers disappear. This op-ed from The Wall Street Journal sums up a lot about the challenges "citizen journalists" trying to cover local events will face, at least initially. Over at The Corner , Mark Krikorian has echoed these thoughts. There may be people who are passionate enough about local affairs (and who have lots of time on their hands) and are perfectly willing and capable of attending public hearings and reporting what happens. But before bloggers or other online-only media can replace newspapers, they
Read more