St. Louis Taxi Driver--Anheuser's Disease
(4/19/2006)
I live a “this is Tuesday so I must be in St. Louis” kind of calendar so it was not a shock this morning when the St. Louis cab driver asked me the address of the TV studio where we were going and I had a brain cramp. I had to take the Alzheimer’s defense.“Uh, let’s head towards downtown and I’ll make a call.”
“Alzheimer’s?” she asked, “What’s that? Here in St. Louis we have Anheuser’s Disease. Same symptoms, only temporary.
Nice lady. Can’t remember her name.
I always ask taxi drivers what they think about the things I am going to talk about on TV. Waitresses and desk clerks too. They are the economy. This week’s opinions from St. Louis include:
1. “Taxes are so high they are driving people out of town.” Missouri has a 6% state income tax, plus 1% for the city of St. Louis (called an earnings tax) equals 7%. Across the bridge, 200 yards away in East St. Louis, the Illinois tax rate is 3%, making the decision to leave town a sort of intelligence test. HELLO? ANYBODY HOME?
Fortunately, my friend Rex Sinquefeld and the Show Me Institute—my hosts for the trip—are helping state legislators pass their intelligence test by lowering tax rates or, better, getting rid of them altogether.
2. Alice, who drives a cab for Best Taxi, told me “My cable bill is too high.” The Missouri Senate is sitting on a bill that would make it easier for new entrants in providing video services across the state. Similar laws, already passed in Texas, and Indiana have triggered price wars between new entrants and incumbent cable companies that have pushed prices for consumers down by about 50%. The legislators could give everyone in the state a $50/month tax cut and make Missouri more attractive for businesses at the same time. Wonder why they aren't getting it done? The state Senator who is holding up the bill with the threat of filibuster is a former owner of cable stations. Now there is a coincidence.
When I told this story to a receptionist she said, “I thought they were supposed to work for us.”
3. When I asked a camera operator at the TV studio what he would like me to pass along to the Governor last night he said “Lower taxes, more jobs.”
4. Nobody know or cared that China’s President Hu Jintao visited Microsoft yesterday, Boeing today, or the White House tomorrow. They did not have a firm position on whether China should revalue the yuan. When I raised the subject they talked about “low prices on Chinese stuff at Wal-Mart. And the quality is great.”
5. Everybody agreed on two things; Budweiser, and the Cardinals. The really great think is you can enjoy both together at the ball park. America is a great place to be.
Dr. John