Democrats’ tax policies cause Marylanders to flee
United Van Lines’ National Migration Study revealed that Maryland is 10th on the list of “Most Moved from States of 2020.” While it is unfortunate to witness a mass exodus from our beloved state, the reasoning for doing so is not surprising.
Radical taxation policies implemented by Democrats have crippled small businesses, stagnated wage growth, and eaten away at hard-earned retirement accounts and pensions, which has had a catastrophic effect on retirees. In reaching out to Carroll County residents, the overwhelming majority of senior citizens deem Maryland not a fitting place to retire. Those citizens, unfortunately, back up the troubling findings from the United Van Lines report:
1. Over 55% of those who left the state were 55 or older;
2. 70% of people who left made $100,000 or more.
Heavy taxation on retirement accounts and pensions have had a disastrous effect. Census reports show Marylanders heading south and west in search of states with lower taxes. With them goes state revenue that Maryland could have benefited from, but instead is being spent somewhere else. Seniors contribute significantly to the state economy, and it is a dishonor to see Democrats tax senior citizens’ hard-earned money in the name of some abysmal progressive policy.
Taxes enacted by Democrats over the last decade are directly responsible for wealthy residents moving to states with lower taxes, causing state tax revenue to plummet. Democrats believe they can tax Maryland into prosperity and that the more taxes, the better in the attempt to balance the budget. While taxes are necessary, it’s imperative we levy as few as possible to promote pro-growth policies and increase revenue that can help us compete with surrounding states.
Last year, Gov. Hogan put forward the Retirement Tax Reduction Act of 2020, which had the intention of cutting retirement taxes by over $1 billion over five years. Hogan said, “It will provide tax relief for more than 230,000 Marylanders and will help keep tens of thousands of Maryland retirees from fleeing our state.”
Unfortunately, Democrats did not find tax relief of our elderly citizens important and decided to not bring the bill to the floor. It is unfortunate an issue as bipartisan as helping senior citizens can only be spearheaded by Republicans in Annapolis. Imposing a progressive tax system isn’t humane, it’s quite the opposite. Taxes upon the middle class rise, property taxes rise, small business taxes rise, poverty rises, while jobs are lost and tax revenue falls. We have seen enough of this. If Maryland wants to look after its people, it will seek to address the taxes that send jobs, retirees, and revenue to other states.
Zachary Heron
Manchester
Vaccinations not going well in Carroll
While I was watching the local news, I saw that Baltimore County has administered the most COVID-19 vaccines in the state of Maryland. Their only hold-up was the supply of vaccines that has hampered every state in the union.
I opened up my email and received a very professional letter from the Carroll County Health Department that I was in line after 30,000 other Carroll countians received their shots. Each member of my family received the same letter. One of the lines that I found disturbing was that they are still trying to complete Phase 1B but their supplies were limited. No timeline was provided when that would be completed.
My daughter works at a grocery store and has worked the entire time during this pandemic. She deals with customers everyday face to face, now she has to wait behind the other 30,000 people in order to get her shot. My other daughter works at a medical office in Baltimore City and her whole office was sent to get their shots.
Baltimore County has made every effort to set up vaccination sites, get people appointments and administer the vaccine. They made it their goal to get everyone vaccinated. They were not waiting on the state to do it. I am not very clear how Carroll County is handling it. Even if most of the people in Carroll County do not want to get the shot, my sleeve is rolled up and I am ready. My family is ready.
Paul Slowik
Eldersbug