๐ฅ Tucson's War on the Poor: BOG News Exposes New Sales Tax That Threatens to Crush Working Families
๐๏ธ Student Protesters Face Rubber Bullets: Is This Democracy in Action? ๐ณ๏ธ Election 2024: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Read the entire BogNews for October 2024 by clicking below!
๐ Notable quotes from the show
"The more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants, and aliens, the more you control all the people." โ Noam Chomsky
"We are fighting human animals." โ Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, referring to Palestinians
"There are no innocents in Gaza." โ Israeli Defense Minister
"From the River to the Sea, there will only be Israeli sovereignty." โ 1977 Likud Party manifesto
๐ฝ Keepinโ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
๐ง๐พโ๐พ๐ฆ๐พ
๐๏ธ Tucson wants to make people pay more when they buy things, but this might hurt families who don't have a lot of money. ๐ Students are protesting because they're upset about this and other problems, but some police are being mean to them. ๐ There's a big fight happening far away between Israel and Palestine, and lots of people are getting hurt. ๐ณ๏ธ Grown-ups are trying to decide who should be in charge of the country, but it's a tough choice because there are problems with all the options. ๐ก It's important for everyone to learn about these issues and think about how to make things better for everyone.
๐๏ธ Takeaways
๐ Tucson's proposed sales tax would disproportionately burden low-income residents
๐๏ธ Only 17% of the new tax revenue would go to affordable housing, despite the city's housing crisis
๐ฎ Over 65% of the tax revenue would be allocated to law enforcement, contrary to residents' stated priorities
๐ Student protesters face excessive force from police, raising concerns about free speech
๐ฐ Media narratives often misrepresent student protests, baselessly claiming foreign interference
๐ต๐ธ The phrase "From the River to the Sea" is controversially criminalized when used by Palestinians, but not by Israelis
๐ฃ The Israeli military response in Gaza has resulted in nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians
๐ณ๏ธ The 2024 U.S. election presents difficult choices for voters concerned about both domestic and foreign policy issues
BOGNEWS- A Comprehensive Analysis of Tucson Politics and Social Issues - October 2024
๐๏ธ The Continued War on The Poor: Tucson's Sales Tax Proposal
Tucson voters face a pivotal decision that could significantly impact the city's economic landscape. The proposed new sales tax, slated for a vote next March, has sparked intense debate and criticism from social and economic justice advocates.
๐ The Regressive Nature of Sales Taxes
Sales and excise taxes are widely recognized as regressive forms of taxation, meaning they place a disproportionate burden on lower-income individuals and families. Here's a deeper look at the numbers:
Low-income families allocate 7% of their income to sales and excise taxes
Middle-income families spend 4.8% of their income on these taxes
The top 1% of earners dedicate only 1% of their income to such taxes
This stark disparity illustrates how sales taxes can exacerbate existing economic inequalities. For families already struggling to make ends meet, an increase in sales tax could mean choosing between essential goods and services.
๐๏ธ The Broader Context of Tax Inequality in Arizona
The proposed sales tax in Tucson doesn't exist in a vacuum. It comes on the heels of recent state-level tax changes that have already tilted the scales further in favor of the wealthy:
Arizona lawmakers recently overrode a public vote that favored higher taxes on top earners
Instead of following the will of the people, they enacted tax cuts for the rich
This move shifted Arizona from the 27th to the 13th most regressive tax code in the nation
When we look at total taxation (including sales, property, and income taxes), the picture becomes even more stark:
The lowest 20% of earners pay 11.8% of their income in taxes
The wealthiest 1% pay only 5% of their income in taxes
This means that the poorest Arizonans are paying more than double the tax rate of the wealthiest residents, which would only worsen the proposed sales tax.
๐ผ The City's Misplaced Priorities
While proposing to increase the tax burden on ordinary citizens, the Tucson city government continues to offer generous tax breaks to wealthy developers:
The Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) program allows wealthy developers to avoid paying property taxes
Many of these tax breaks come with no requirements for affordable housing in return
This policy effectively shifts the tax burden from wealthy corporations to individual residents
Some of the projects benefiting from these tax breaks include:
AC Hotel
Caterpillar Headquarters
DoubleTree Hotel at the TCC
Hilton Hotel at Cathedral Square
Whether luxury hotels and corporate headquarters truly need taxpayer subsidies to survive and thrive in Tucson is worth questioning.
๐ฐ The True Cost of the Proposed Tax
The city is marketing this $80 million sales tax increase as funding for "community services," but a closer look at the allocation tells a different story:
Only 17% of the revenue will go toward affordable housing
Over 65% of the funds will be directed to law enforcement
The remaining 18% is split among various other initiatives
This prioritization starkly contrasts a recent city survey, which showed that residents ranked first responders only sixth out of ten priorities. Affordable housing, poverty reduction, and mental health services were higher on the list.
๐๏ธ The Wider Impact on Tucson's Housing Crisis
The minimal allocation for affordable housing is particularly concerning given Tucson's ongoing housing crisis:
Median rent in Tucson has skyrocketed by 40% since 2017
During the same period, incomes have only risen by 4%
The number of unsheltered homeless individuals has grown by over 250% since 2018
Instead of addressing these pressing issues, the city seems more focused on further militarizing the police force.
Plans even include purchasing a "fixed-wing aircraft" for the Tucson Police Department, raising questions about priorities and the appropriate use of taxpayer funds.
๐ Student Protests and Media Misinformation
Recent student protests across the country, including at the University of Arizona, have illuminated concerning trends in law enforcement response and media coverage.
๐จ Police Violence at U of A
The use of pepper spray and rubber bullets against University of Arizona students during peaceful protests has raised serious concerns about the use of force and the suppression of free speech:
These tactics go beyond mere crowd control and border on intentional intimidation
The heavy-handed approach is particularly troubling given the university's recent scandals and the need for improved public relations
There are questions about whether police officers received proper training in de-escalation techniques and proportional response
๐ฐ Media Narratives and Foreign Interference Claims
Mainstream media outlets have been pushing a narrative of "outside agitators" to discredit the sincere motivations of student protesters:
Recent articles, like one from the New York Post, have made baseless claims of foreign interference
These claims are often based on flimsy evidence, such as protesters using similar tents or sharing common talking points
Such narratives ignore the genuine concerns and grassroots nature of the student movements
These accusations not only lack substantive proof but also dangerously conflate opposition to Israeli policies with anti-Jewish bigotry. This weaponization of the term "anti-Semitism" is losing effectiveness with American youth and much of the global community.
๐๏ธ The Israel-Palestine Conflict: A Balanced Perspective
๐ฃ๏ธ The "From the River to the Sea" Controversy
The phrase "From the River to the Sea" has become a focal point in discussions about the Israel-Palestine conflict:
Some claim it's a call for genocide when used by Palestinians
However, Israeli politicians, including Benjamin Netanyahu, have used similar language to describe their vision of Israeli control over the entire region
The attempt to criminalize this phrase when used by Palestinians but not by Israelis raises serious questions about free speech and double standards in political discourse
๐ฃ Disproportionate Response and Civilian Casualties
The Israeli military response to the October 7th attacks has resulted in devastating consequences for Palestinian civilians:
Nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths have been reported, mostly women and children
This raises serious questions about proportionality and the targeting of civilians
The destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis
๐๏ธ Peace Negotiations and Hostage Situations
Recent developments in peace negotiations have shown a complex and often frustrating picture:
Hamas agreed to an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal
Israel rejected this proposal, claiming it didn't meet its "core demands"
Israel's continued military operations in areas like Rafah complicate the path to peace and the safe return of hostages
These events highlight the challenges in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and ensuring the safety of all civilians caught in the crossfire.
๐ณ๏ธ U.S. Politics and the 2024 Election
The upcoming U.S. presidential election presents difficult choices for voters concerned about both domestic and foreign policy issues:
The Democratic Party's continued support for policies that many view as enabling the ongoing conflict in Gaza has alienated key voting blocs
These include youth, Arab-Americans, and progressives
The potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency raises concerns about democratic institutions and civil rights
As we approach this critical election, it's essential to consider not just the candidates but also the broader implications of our political choices for peace, justice, and human rights at home and abroad.