The Times Daily: The Solution to Prison Woes Lies in the Tax Code
media mentionBy Editorial Board, June 18, 2014
Alabama’s prison system is once again in the national spotlight, and it’s not a heartening illumination.
The Southern Poverty Law Center and Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Center have filed suit in federal court seeking to change how inmates are treated, particularly for medical conditions the groups contend largely go untreated.
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A study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy of state taxes found that the share of state and local taxes paid by Alabamians based on income is considerably higher for those earning in the lowest 20 percent (10.2 percent) and the second lowest 20 percent (10.4 percent). By comparison, the top 1 percent of income earners paid only 3.8 percent of their income in state and local taxes.
Alabama relies too heavily on sales taxes, while property taxes are the lowest in the nation, which is a decided advantage for the wealthy.