It appears that Illinois and California are in a race to see which can impose the worst tax policies. The Illinois legislature is debating a “Privilege Tax;” California is debating single-payer health care. Neighboring states to each are likely envisioning plenty of businesses relocating if these measures pass.
The Illinois Privilege Tax is a proposed 20% tax on investment advisors. Let’s say I’m a hedge fund manager in Chicago and I have the Russ Fox Fund. I charge a fee for running this fund; under this proposal, 20% of the fee would be taxable to Illinois. What would prevent me from moving to Des Moines (Iowa), Indianapolis (Indiana), or Nashville (Tennessee) and running the same fund? Absolutely nothing. If this proposal passes, the financial services sector will join lots of others in fleeing the Land of Lincoln.
Meanwhile, the Bronze Golden State is debating single-payer health care. It passed a Senate Committee, but there’s a major issue: The plan would cost $400 billion (that’s “billion” with a b, not million), far more than the state’s current budget. While $200 billion of it could come from repurposing current expenditures, $200 billion would need to be raised. How about a 15% payroll tax and self-employment tax on the state level? That would make California’s tax rate 28.3% on the highest earners! The proposal would cover anyone and everyone living in California, including those here illegally.
If this passes, there’s no doubt in my mind that businesses that could would relocate to neighboring states while any freeloaders who could would move to California. The self-employed who could move would do so immediately: Live in California, pay an additional 28% in tax, or live in Las Vegas and pay 0%? Or Arizona and pay 4%? Or, well, I think you get the picture.
There aren’t many good answers on healthcare, but there are plenty of bad ones. California appears to have chosen one of those. (Yes, single-payer can work but it would have to be implemented nationally to work, not in one state.)