Pittsburgh to tax tuition?

Nice to know someone has reopened this can of worms after I was violently silenced.

In a move to balance the city budget, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is proposing a 1% tax on college tuition.

Ravenstahl argues that other taxpayers are already paying for services provided to college students, so why shouldn't the students pay too?

His stance is unpopular, but he may have a point. But if that's the case, then we really have to reexamine something that's stuck in my craw my whole adult life.

I work hard, and I pay taxes. Kentucky has a stiff 6% sales tax. Contrary to popular belief, some food items are taxed. In some states, all food is taxed.

Tuition is not taxed. Probably not in a single state in this fine land.

Wealthy families who send their children to elite private schools pay no tax. Everything except this is taxed!

Yet private schools receive generous taxpayer handouts. At last count, 3 of Kentucky's 120 counties gave a transportation handout to private schools. Naturally, I happen to live in one of those 3. Ohio is one of the most generous states regarding bailouts for private schools - even though the Buckeye State seemed to be at the forefront of welfare "reform" that hurt poor families.

Does anyone care to explain this injustice?

In the mid-'90s, I posted a series of messages on a local BBS endorsing a tax to remedy this inconsistency. And man, did I catch it! Nobody dared to criticize those who backed a federal sales tax on food. But when I expected my hard-earned money to stop financing private schools that were already swimming in cash, you better believe I heard about it!

If the Mayor of Pittsburgh accomplishes nothing else today, at least you can say he helped put this issue back in the spotlight.

(Source: http://postgazette.com/pg/09313/1011971-53.stm)