Outside, Looking In

It is sad to read about another business going under in Duluth. I am in small business and have been doing business in Duluth for 8 years. During that 8 years, I have aged 15, developed various digestive problems, thrown away more money than I care to remember and have wished that I had chosen a different path.

What Duluth and Duluthians seem inextricably doomed to is chasing down the next big Government program or building. These buildings and programs cost money and it is not imaginary money. This is real money that comes from real people who write real checks every month and watch as their livelihoods dwindle away in that chase for the next big Golden Government Goose (GGG). It is truly a thing to behold at times. Watching those who are fiscal conservatives enthusiastically jumping on board for the next GGG. I often feel I am on the outside looking in and this time around, I am obviously part of a tiny minority who feel the City is making a mistake and handing the bill to Mom and Pop for the newest GGG. Even others in the same business are on board.

The thing it seems nobody is talking about is the fact that this GGG will be built entirely with tax dollars. These tax dollars come from somewhere. The thing blurring everbody's eyesight is the fact that half the funds will come from "the State". Great! Well, who is "the State"? Where does "the State" get it's money?

Is anybody considering the fact that if the revenue from the tax increase falls short, we are still, as a community still on the hook for this? Visions of the GLA come to mind. This was touted as such a great idea and that it would bring in massive revenue and would be self-supporting, blah, blah, blah! Well, a few questions are in order for you before you throw caution to the wind and jump on board with the new DECC expansion:

1. We tend to complain about high taxes in Minnesota but seem all too easily seduced by big Shiny Buildings. Will we ever mature beyond the "I see it, I want it now" mentality?
2. Will we ever get the concept that if it's being built with tax dollars, it's going to increase our tax burden?
3. Will the concept that the greater the distance the tax dollars travel, the easier it is to spend them, ever become passe'.
4. How can so many of us be anti-taxes and anti-Big Government but so quickly seduced by another GGG project?
5. How will we ever improve the State and local economy if we are so willing to spend tax dollars?

Taxes are taxes. This burden will be placed on the shoulders of those already subsidizing so many other failed or mismanaged GGGs. Why is it so easy for this community to be on board, taxing those in that industry when they are already experiencing very tough times? How is taxing one segment of our economy to the limit of their ability to pay fair to those businesses? Finally, why is it that we can vote to tax a certain segment of businesses for a project that will ostensibly benefit the entire community? Do the bar and restaurant owners get more benefit? Do the sporting goods stores get less? Those in the restaurant industry, even if universally opposed to this tax, would stand little chance of defeating it. It seems another example of Duluthians being anti-tax, unless somebody else is writing the check.