What do you think it should be done about the chilling effect of those taxes? Talented graduates who select to join a different city instead of Seattle, a city perhaps less hungry for their hard worked money. Enthusiastic founders who never decide to start that startup anymore and rather get a job because why bother when others get to enjoy most of the fruits of your labor?
Business never started, money never made, growth stunted. Is it worth to sacrifice the future so that politicians can add another checklist to their re-election campaign?
> Talented employees who select to move to a different city instead, less hungry for their hard worked money.
That's one framing. Another framing is that the taxes I pay were never "my" money to begin with.
To answer your broader question, I'm not going to argue against a hypothetical. If you've seen places where the local area is a highly desirable place but whose economy is flagging because of high taxes, I'm happy to dive in more. But in general, people want to live in Seattle even if it means chipping in a little more. Founders want to start here because there's talent here.
> places where the local area is a highly desirable place but whose economy is flagging because of high taxes
The whole of Europe, pretty much. Only desirable to refugees and migrants dreaming of that sweet sweet social security, while bleeding talent, entrepreneurs and startups to USA in droves. Europe chose a while ago stagnation over innovation and evolution and today is paying the price.
> taxes I pay were never "my" money
That simply cannot be true, considering that if I move to a different place that money end up in my bank account, mine!
> if I move to a different place that money end up in my bank account, mine!
Reversing this argument -- moving to a place with higher taxes means that money isn't in your bank, not yours!
> The whole of Europe, pretty much.
Germany seems to be doing alright. Most of Europe rates highly on the IHDI. GDPs are growing in places like Sweden and France, despite a high tax rate.
You'd think so but no. Most refugees enter UE through a poorer border country but do everything to migrate to the richer, north-western countries where Social Security level is higher.
Business never started, money never made, growth stunted. Is it worth to sacrifice the future so that politicians can add another checklist to their re-election campaign?