I've been meaning to post about this for quite some time, but hey nothing like the present. It came into focus as DOGE (Douche Out to Get Everyone) shone a light on how taxes, and distribution of wealth works.
This post is about Florida, specifically, but could likely be happening in other GOP-led states, too. Remember that the Florida GOP is trying to tout Florida as being all about Free-dumb! Its about how the individual can do what they want, without any government action. And of course there's an element of "Socialism is bad" mixed in.
And yet....the way taxes work in Florida is interesting. There is no state income tax, so the state relies on sales tax for running everything, from social services, to schools, to infrastructure, to garbage.
There are 67 counties in the state. 8 of them are very populated, and would mostly be considered "blue." And of course, they have most of the industry in the state. The other 59 counties you might think of (mostly) as being in the deep-red south. Not much happening, fairly rural.
And yet, when that sales tax is collected, it all gets fed into the state, where it is redistributed (based on a formula, but its somewhat evenly) to all of the counties.
These 8 counties also have a fraction of a penny, up to a whole cent, of additional tax that is kept in that county. And of course property taxes are mostly (its never as simple as that) left in the counties too.
So, in effect, these red counties have services and available funds because of the larger counties.
Which is socialism. Exactly what they rail against. And if they stopped, then there would be a whole new conversation.
It just strikes me that the maga-aligned crowd really don't understand how the economy works - and more importantly WHY it works.
