Then forget ever moving to Utah. We have taxes on everything. We have a state income tax and pay taxes on all goods, including food and clothing.unnamednewbie13 wrote:
Taxes are horrid enough as it is. I couldn't imagine living in a state with both sales and income tax...then getting hit with a federal sales tax as well as the income tax.
Wait, so what's that stupid tax that you pay that you never see until you get to the counter? America would be a much better place if they'd just add that on to the cost of the product in the store.
The sales tax is for local use only, aka city tax. Some places also have city & state tax.ghettoperson wrote:
Wait, so what's that stupid tax that you pay that you never see until you get to the counter? America would be a much better place if they'd just add that on to the cost of the product in the store.
The problem with using a national sales tax is it applies to everyone. So a poor guy has to pay $5 for a gallon of milk, the same as a rich guy. And then, secondly, the government will eventually have to put guidelines on pricing products in the stores.
You certainly can think "well we can have the poor exempt from sales tax". How? This would involve a huge expense increase by retailers, which then would be passed on to the consumer...and the increase would be applied before the sales tax % is applied.
That probably didn't help with the question though...most times the sales tax is used by the city to fund the local police, amongst other items.
For instance, where I live, 2% goes to the State Police & Road improvements, 6.75% goes to local - mostly police and road improvements.
For instance, where I live, 2% goes to the State Police & Road improvements, 6.75% goes to local - mostly police and road improvements.
Last edited by Pug (2009-05-27 08:20:44)
It seems very complicated in the States. Over here, we pay 15% VAT on all products (except for booze and tobacco). This is added to the cost of the product in the store; you pay the price you see on the label and you go home happy. IMO, if the tax was already incorporated into the price you wouldn't care, because you don't see it. But when you've got a $5 product, and you know you have to add 7% (or whatever) sales tax and 13% national sales tax (por ejemplo) then suddenly you're looking at a $6 product. Whereas if you just pick up a $6 product and pay $6 for it it's all wonderful.
No offence, but if you had an income tax that worked properly then differing sales taxes wouldn't matter.Pug wrote:
The sales tax is for local use only, aka city tax. Some places also have city & state tax.ghettoperson wrote:
Wait, so what's that stupid tax that you pay that you never see until you get to the counter? America would be a much better place if they'd just add that on to the cost of the product in the store.
The problem with using a national sales tax is it applies to everyone. So a poor guy has to pay $5 for a gallon of milk, the same as a rich guy. And then, secondly, the government will eventually have to put guidelines on pricing products in the stores.
You certainly can think "well we can have the poor exempt from sales tax". How? This would involve a huge expense increase by retailers, which then would be passed on to the consumer...and the increase would be applied before the sales tax % is applied.
Here it's no tax on fresh food and necessities, 10% on everything else. Its a basic consumption tax, the more you consume the more you pay. Also by law the amount displayed or advertised is the final price (tax included).
No offense taken. But my question: "if you had an income tax that worked properly...."DrunkFace wrote:
No offence, but if you had an income tax that worked properly then differing sales taxes wouldn't matter.
Here it's no tax on fresh food and necessities, 10% on everything else. Its a basic consumption tax, the more you consume the more you pay. Also by law the amount displayed or advertised is the final price (tax included).
Not sure what exactly why you think its broken?
Collecting tax isn't a problem. Spending is the problem.
People will always bitch about paying taxes...no matter what system is in place.
I think it has to do with laws regarding labelling (aka anti-gouging laws) which might be different. Maybe not.ghettoperson wrote:
It seems very complicated in the States. Over here, we pay 15% VAT on all products (except for booze and tobacco). This is added to the cost of the product in the store; you pay the price you see on the label and you go home happy. IMO, if the tax was already incorporated into the price you wouldn't care, because you don't see it. But when you've got a $5 product, and you know you have to add 7% (or whatever) sales tax and 13% national sales tax (por ejemplo) then suddenly you're looking at a $6 product. Whereas if you just pick up a $6 product and pay $6 for it it's all wonderful.
And, for instance, I can drive two miles and my sales tax % drops from 8.75% to 7%, because I went over a county line. The locals will vote on a sales tax increase to fund certain projects on the ballot...which means it can be county-specific. Do you have different VAT sales tax rates based on county (or fiefdoms or whatever ya'll call them)?
On second thought, I don't think our current income tax system is a problem at all.
But it's interesting that the government is focused on this. Nice smokescreen Senator to obscure the real issue - changing how we collect tax isn't going to reduce spending.
But it's interesting that the government is focused on this. Nice smokescreen Senator to obscure the real issue - changing how we collect tax isn't going to reduce spending.
Basically people will be fine with whatever tax % as long as it is hidden in the price. People are stupid and will pay for something not knowing what percentage is the tax. Great way for the government to increase taxes and let the blame for higher cost of goods fall on the companies. Man that Obama is a smart dude. I wish I would have voted for him.ghettoperson wrote:
It seems very complicated in the States. Over here, we pay 15% VAT on all products (except for booze and tobacco). This is added to the cost of the product in the store; you pay the price you see on the label and you go home happy. IMO, if the tax was already incorporated into the price you wouldn't care, because you don't see it. But when you've got a $5 product, and you know you have to add 7% (or whatever) sales tax and 13% national sales tax (por ejemplo) then suddenly you're looking at a $6 product. Whereas if you just pick up a $6 product and pay $6 for it it's all wonderful.
Edit: Typing failure.
Last edited by LividBovine (2009-05-27 18:00:15)
"The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation" - Barack Obama (a freshman senator from Illinios)
If "better" means more affordably, yes.{M5}Sniper3 wrote:
Social Security should have been axed or at least privatized in the first place. And do you REALLY think that the government can run the medical sector better then the private sector? (READ: DMV or any other government bureaucracy.) What has jacked up the medical prices is insurance and people's willingness to pay that high price.
Don't ever live in California then... 8.25-10.25% State Sales Tax on stuff and up to 9.55% State Income tax FTL.unnamednewbie13 wrote:
Taxes are horrid enough as it is. I couldn't imagine living in a state with both sales and income tax...then getting hit with a federal sales tax as well as the income tax.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxe … California
and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_income_taxes
You'll have rationing...instead of getting an MRI that afternoon you'll have to wait weeks. Look at Canada for an example.Turquoise wrote:
If "better" means more affordably, yes.{M5}Sniper3 wrote:
Social Security should have been axed or at least privatized in the first place. And do you REALLY think that the government can run the medical sector better then the private sector? (READ: DMV or any other government bureaucracy.) What has jacked up the medical prices is insurance and people's willingness to pay that high price.
I already pay sales tax
That actually works. Or it would, had you not have close to $2 trillion already owed. You gotta do more than raise taxes or cut spending by more than 46% to pay off the debt you have already amassed.LividBovine wrote:
Looks like it.AussieReaper wrote:
"The Treasury is borrowing 46 cents of every dollar it spends, largely from China and other foreign creditors"Harmor wrote:
Increase services for the non-productive = increased taxes for the productive
Fixed.
Does the non-productive in America equate to 46% of the population?
I have the answer though. We have several options:
1. Keep the spending the same and raise taxes 46%.
2. Keep the taxes the same and decrease spending 46%.
3. Keep the taxes the same and decrease spending more than 46% to pay down debt.
4. Keep the spending the same and raise taxes more than 46% to pay down debt.
5. Decrease spending some percentage and Increase taxes some percentage of which the sum is 46% or greater if you want to pay down debt.
6. Lots more options I am sure.
MORE ON TOPIC:
If the US government could pull something like this off without increasing taxes overall while simplifying the tax code, I would be amazed. We have way too much faith in our government's wisdom.
It's 46% one way or the other to break even and stop your current spending. This amount isn't paying off your debt at present, it's generating more.
I doubt that. Canada has very few MRI machines. America has more than any other country.Harmor wrote:
You'll have rationing...instead of getting an MRI that afternoon you'll have to wait weeks. Look at Canada for an example.Turquoise wrote:
If "better" means more affordably, yes.{M5}Sniper3 wrote:
Social Security should have been axed or at least privatized in the first place. And do you REALLY think that the government can run the medical sector better then the private sector? (READ: DMV or any other government bureaucracy.) What has jacked up the medical prices is insurance and people's willingness to pay that high price.
The point is.. because our medical infrastructure is better than just about any other country, socialization would work better here and would require less waiting.
To completely replace the Federal Income tax the national sales that would have to be 18-23%.
Last edited by Harmor (2009-05-27 21:16:17)