Birmingham, Ala., is one of the highest-taxed major cities in the U.S. It is tied for third on the nationwide list with Montgomery, Ala.
This post was updated on Oct. 24, 2017.
As the sharp political divisions within the U.S. increasingly center on Democratic cities vs. the Republican countryside, a fresh set of data shows that a surprising number of cities in Red States have among the highest tax rates in the nation.
The urban/rural divide in our politics not only separates Red States from Blue States, it presents an increasingly wide gap between cities and rural areas within states. In particular, many cities in Red States do not follow the conservative, Republican politics prevalent in the outlying areas.
Research by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation shows that Long Beach in southern California and Chicago have the highest combination of state and city sales taxes. No surprise there.
But the next-highest tax rates are levied on folks in Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala., within one of the reddest states in America. They levy a hefty 6 percent city tax on sales, in addition to the state sales tax rate of 4 percent.
They are followed in the rankings by Baton Rouge and New Orleans in Louisiana – a state that has evolved, placed among the most conservative in the U.S. based on its recent elections track record.
The digressions from public perceptions don’t stop there.
The Tax Foundation found that 12 Texas cities rate within the Top 40. Memphis and Nashville both have a spot within the Top 10. Arizona has six cities within the Top 60.
The way the data is presented, Detroit’s ranking, if it were based on local income taxes, remains unclear.
But who would have thought that Tulsa, Oklahoma, ranks ahead of San Francisco in state/local taxation rates? How can that be?
Or how about the fact that Kansas City ranks far above the supposed Rust Belt city of Cleveland.
Seems like an attitude adjustment is overdue.
The Pew Research Center has found that the polarization between urban and rural continues to widen. A person’s political values determine where they want to live and work. Democrats like big cities; Republicans prefer open spaces. As a result, we have Blue Cities in Red States.
“The urban/rural divide … shows how deeply the differences between the two parties run,” NBC News reported.
“The kind of place you live in plays a big role in who your neighbors are, what your work commute is like, the kinds of stores and restaurants near you and, ultimately, how you see the world you live in.”
