In a classic display of economic ignorance, Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson is pushing a corporate head tax, claiming there’s no evidence it’s a job killer. Yet, any sensible person understands that taxing businesses per employee is a surefire way to stifle job growth. Charge businesses $21 per employee every month, and they’ll inevitably downsize or, worse, relocate. After all, taxation acts as a deterrent—Chicago learned this the hard way a decade ago when it scrapped the very same tax policy.
Democrats, with their relentless pursuit of tax hikes, fail to recognize the obvious: higher taxes mean fewer jobs. It’s a simple equation that liberals just can’t grasp. This isn’t rocket science. It’s basic economics freely available in any high school textbook. Yet here we are again watching leftist leaders implement policies destined to hurt the very people they claim to protect.
Mayor Johnson’s economic savagery doesn’t stop there. While screaming about affordability and a healthcare crisis, he introduces not just this head tax, but also taxes on electronically delivered software and social media. Rather than fostering a climate for innovation and competition, he’s intent on turning Chicago into a tax-crippled wasteland. Businesses are most likely already eyeing the exit signs, and one can’t blame them. When business costs rise, companies will either pass on those hikes—making life more expensive for everyone—or pack up and leave, taking jobs and tax revenue with them.
Democrats would have you believe that such draconian measures are necessary for fiscal responsibility. Yet Chicago’s budget bloats because of wasteful spending, not because of under-taxation. Cutting back on frivolous expenses and perks could fill those budget gaps—not squeezing the life from businesses and their workers. It’s almost as if those running things would rather force businesses into a corner than admit their spending habits are out of control.
What does that mean for the people of Chicago? Higher costs, fewer jobs, and a city that slowly descends into an anti-business abyss. If leaders continue down this path, who will be left holding the tax bag? Certainly not the companies that will wisely choose to set up shop elsewhere. It’s hard to watch leaders gamble with their city’s economic future as if it’s play money. But then again, isn’t that just standard Democratic procedure?
Source: Townhall
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