When a "1 percent" tax increase is really something else

Money magic: How one penny can turn into $11 million

I don't know about you, but every time our lawmakers make a move for my wallet, I remember that old saying, "Figures lie and liars figure."

It's not that I oppose the government levying taxes. I mean, someone has to pay the bills. California has the highest tax rate on a gallon of gas in the country, but every time my family and I head out for a Sunday ride in the country, I'm happy with the quality of the roads we're driving on. It's a fair trade in my mind.

Which is not to say our tax dollars are always spent wisely or efficiently or on things that advance the common good.

My beloved hometown of Davis, the City of All Things Right and Relevant, recently placed a measure on the November ballot that will increase the sales tax on goods sold in town from 8.25 percent to 9.25 percent, a hefty increase that will nevertheless likely pass in a town where half the residents have a PhD and the other half think they should.

A simple majority (50 percent plus one) will do the trick.