Helping New York...In Spite of the State's Awful Politicians

I have a column in the New York Post this morning explaining that big government is a losing deal for taxpayers in the Empire State. I'm tempted to say they deserve to be over-taxed and over-regulated because they keep electing collectivists like Chuck Schumer, but I grew up in the area and still follow the Yankees, so I hope the people of New York wake up and begin fighting big government. Here's an excerpt:

Federal spending has approximately doubled during the Bush-Obama years -- great news for special-interest groups, but bad news for New Yorkers, who pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes because of higher-than-average incomes. Needless to say, the IRS code allows no compensation for New Yorkers' higher-than-average living expenses. New Yorkers also lose on the spending side of the ledger. According to the Tax Foundation, the state gets back only about 80 cents for every $1 it sends to Washington. But the harm is actually greater -- because Washington takes that dollar from the job-creating private sector and returns the 80 cents in the form of handouts, subsidies and pork of very dubious economic benefit. And things are going to get worse before they get better. President Obama wants higher tax rates on income, higher tax rates on capital gains and increased double taxation of dividends. That will tilt the overall tax burden even further against New York. The taxes on investment, in particular, will hurt Wall Street -- on which the city's economy depends.