EDITORIAL: The South Bend/St. Joseph County local option income tax proposal

South Bend Tribune

The South Bend Common Council is putting a three-part local option income tax up for a vote on Monday. No one should be surprised by that, or by the fact the St. Joseph County Council will vote Tuesday on the same proposal.

No one should be surprised, either, that opponents began to rally against the tax the moment they got the news.

We suggest that anyone with an interest in this issue take an honest look at local government revenue, at budget figures and at the circumstances that have gotten St. Joseph County and its cities to this point. All the information is available. Facts are the proper basis for deciding what local governments need to do in order to continue to deliver services - or whether those services are expendable.