I would like to respond to Tim Hitchings’ letter of December 14 questioning my data on the income breakdown for Mercer County. The numbers I used are taken directly from the 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. The table can be found by using the U.S. Census Department’s American FactFinders’ search function. According to that data 14.5 percent of families and 10.4 percent of households in Mercer County have incomes of more than $200,000. I did not find a breakdown for those earning more than $250,000.
Hitchings’ data come from Sperling’s Best Places to Live. The Sperling’s website also lists the American Community Survey as its data source. But try as I might to find the statistics on the Census Department’s website, I failed to do so. I know this is all rather wonky. But, to have an intelligent conversation on taxes, we need to have agreement on the facts.
I fear that Hitchings marred what was an otherwise intelligent letter by casting aspersions on my motives. My interest is improving the fiscal sustainability of our nation and our state. All I wanted to do in my original letter (the News, November 30) was to point out that the residents of New Jersey and Mercer County already are burdened by such a heavy tax load that it is hurting our competitiveness. Our state has a higher unemployment rate and a slower economic growth rate than most other states. This sad state of affairs will not be improved by jacking up taxes on the affluent, especially small business owners who are our prime job creators. When you tax something you will get less of that activity.
I wholeheartedly agree with Hitchings that we should work together for the benefit of all. But it will involve shared sacrifice. Taxing the top earners simply will not yield enough money to solve the country’s and our state’s fiscal problems. It would be far wiser to pursue policies that encourage job creation and economic growth. Unless we devise a more business-friendly regulatory and tax regime, I fear that New Jersey may fall into a vicious cycle of relative economic decline, revenue shortfalls, and increasingly punitive taxation.
Jim Solloway
West Windsor
