I live in Taxachusetts. Taxachusetts taxes income (income tax), and outgo (sales tax). In between, there are lots of other taxes.
We tax some roads and bridges, (aka tolls) but not others.
Cities and towns tax property and motor vehicles. The state limits the tax rate, but there s a loophole. One piece of real property I have an interest in suddenly tripled in value in three months. The rate didn t change, just the amount of tax.
We tax medical payments (aka surcharges) to hospitals. I call this the sick and injured tax.
We tax certain types of alchoholic beverages, and cigarettes. These are known as sin taxes.
We tax meals. (Eating tax?)
There s no tax on clothing, unless you spend over $100. Guess how many people drop that on a trip to Wal-Mart, and don t realize that because all that stuff added up to over $100 that they were taxed. I call this the dressing tax.
We don t tax food (except meals), but they tried to tax junk food. Are cough drops candy or medicine? How about a diabetic that has to cary hard candy with them all the time...is that medicine?
We even have a tax tax (they call it a surtax). When they first implemented it, you figured out your income tax, then calculated the surcharge and added it to the regular tax. Now they ve done us the favor of incorporating it into the formulas so we don t see the tax tax, but it s still there. We voted to repeal it, but it s not gone.
Now we ve added two more:
1) Nursing home patients will be taxed $3500 per year. I call this is the old and sick tax. Based on the condition of many nursing home patients, it could also be called the helplessness tax, penniless tax, or defenseless tax.
2) Prescriptions will be taxed $1.30 per prescription or refill. I call this the general sickness tax.
Both of these taxes are already being collected.
The state tried to tax cell phone users...only out-of-state cell phone users...but the courts stopped them. They also tried to tax Massachusetts cell phone users when making a cell phone call outside of Mass. Again, the courts stopped them.
I m sure there are hundreds of other taxes here in Taxachusetts that I ve missed.
I d like to know what kind of stupid, outrageous, or just plain hurtful taxes other people know of. Hopefully, the politicians won t read this thread and get any ideas from it...
Austin
AustinBostonAustin...
Sounds like you just moved to...
Canada! [:@]
We have those and more taxes... and our buck is only worth half of yours![:o]
I ll see your RANT... and raise you two WHINNINGS!
Have yourself a taxfree day!
AustinBostonI have to agree with Cadeuses, there is very little up here that isn t taxed! Our tax freedom day is sometime in July I think!
We have the GST, a federal tax that is put on basically everything. Some food and baby products are exempt but it s on any Good like cars, books, smokes, booze, clothes, or Service, yes, even services like hair cuts. Then we have the PST or Provincial tax that is put on most of everything as well. In Ontario, both add up to 15%.
AustinBostonWell You are very close Austin.. But, the perscription " tax" is a big snafu right now.. It is really not a tax, and was not supposed to be passed on to consumers.. It was supposed to be put on the pharmacys, now they have put it onto to the people (and even going as far as to say it was a state law telling them they had to) Total BS from them.. It is also 6 months behind, it is really a $.65 fee that is 6 months behind so they have doubled it..
But I hear you buddy... Sick isn t it!
AustinBostonThe only thing that I know of that we re not taxed on is newspapers. Lol, we are taxed on the same things you guys are taxed on, plus the things you re not taxed on. Every type of goods and services are taxed here in the great state of Oklahoma. [:@]
Firefyter-Emt
QuoteORIGINAL: Firefyter-Emt
Well You are very close Austin.. But, the perscription " tax" is a big snafu right now.. It is really not a tax, and was not supposed to be passed on to consumers.. It was supposed to be put on the pharmacys, now they have put it onto to the people (and even going as far as to say it was a state law telling them they had to) Total BS from them.. It is also 6 months behind, it is really a $.65 fee that is 6 months behind so they have doubled it..
But I hear you buddy... Sick isn t it!
FYI...
I am personally tasked with building the software for tracking and collecting this " user fee" from the pharmacies. (Talk about lack of job motivation!) No one here is complaining or surprised that the tax is being passed on to consumers. And it is $1.30 per prescription, despite what you may have heard elsewhere.
Austin
AustinBostonI agree, it is a $1.30.. but tht is the $.65 with a $.65 added on top to cover the last 6 months that they were not being charged.. it is supposed to drop to $.65 six months after they started being charged $1.30 (like we have not heard that one before// Remeber the Pike??? LOL) Still stinks though
However, I will say that we are supposed to be like #36th in the USA for our tax rate... Heck, where is that in Cali. that is going up to like 9% sales tax ??!!
Firefyter-Emt
QuoteORIGINAL: Firefyter-Emt
.. it is supposed to drop to $.65 six months after they started being charged $1.30 (like we have not heard that one before// Remeber the Pike??? LOL)
And the surtax and...
There is no such thing as temporary taxes, and no such thing as temporary tolls.
Austin
AustinBostonDo what I am doing, earn no money, then you do not pay half of your taxes which are deducted at source :):):)
Birol the tax hater .....
AustinBostonDon t forget about us business owners...... state unemployment tax, federal unemployment tax, 6% state tax on food items sold...etc etc. Plus I have to match what my employees put into Federal tax. They pay $340....I have to pay $340. Kinda makes ya want to pay " under the table" , but then all the $$ from the shop is then put on your " self-employed" taxes. I m screwed either way I guess.
Can we have another Tea Party?
Cheers
AustinBostonSad part is how we would not know what to do with all the extra $$ we would have if we could only go BACK to the rate of taxiation we were at when the old Union Jack was flying..
AustinBostonI will trade you one Trafficant for a Kennedy.....
Me, I like elephants[;)]
AustinBostonThe Tax Poem
Tax his land, tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.
Tax his chew, tax his smoke,
Teach him taxes are no joke.
Tax his car, tax his ass
Tax the roads he must pass.
Tax his tobacco, tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think.
Tax his booze, tax his beers,
If he cries, tax his tears.
Tax his bills, tax his gas,
Tax his notes, tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.
If he hollers, tax him more,
Tax him until he s good and sore.
Tax his coffin, tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
" Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he s gone, we won t relax,
We ll still be after the inheritance TAX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AustinBostonOddly enough, here in Virginia, we have pretty much the same taxes, at least they don t tax you for groceries (or at least they didn t). About five years ago, the Gov of Va went to the task of eliminating the hated car tax (excise tax), and they have succeeded in passing that law, and started phasing it out over a five year period. The incoming Gov that replaced him put a hold on it, but that was not until four of the five years had gone by, and we pay a much smaller tax burden than before. I m not sure, but I think we don t get a tax this year, at least I haven t seen a bill yet! (fingers are crossed).
Oh, and desipte their efforts to keep the toll on the Va Beach/Norfolk Expressway, they were forced to drop that a few years ago. Ditto for tolls on the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, and the Downtown tunnel. So some things can be reversed, guess it depends on how loud the people get about it.
So now the state is flat broke, but somehow they manage to struggle along with the billions of dollars they reap in with all their other taxes! Someone above mentioned another " Tea Party" and I d be glad to join that party!!!!
Gone-Camping
QuoteORIGINAL: Gone-Camping
Someone above mentioned another " Tea Party" and I d be glad to join that party!!!!
Today, they even tax that. Before you can throw tea in the harbor, you have to pay the environmental impact filing fee!
Austin
AustinBostonMy turn to rant. As a fairly new (3rd year now) small business owner/partner, I m appalled at the taxes we pay. If everyone in the country had to pay taxes quarterly - not through payroll withholding - I think there would be a revolt! Writing those checks 4 times a year plus annual taxes is enough to make you sick. Because our business is doing well (but we re not rich by any means) we get taxed at the highest rate - but it doesn t stop there! We loose things that others take for granted like flexible benefit programs (our employees get that but we don t), payments to our 401k are tightly regulated & tied to how much our employees put in, we loose the child credit & most of our deductions (like mortgage interest & charitable contributions) no longer count in full. I d categorize us as middle to upper middle class and I personally think we re getting a raw deal. The country was built on small entrepreneurs but I don t see how you re supposed to make it as one these days! My husband & I pay more in taxes than many people make but it s not like we re driving Porsches! I d like to challenge anyone who thinks the current system is fair to look over my taxes. And I m sure with so many double income families out there more people than you would think have similar problems.
Just can t wait til April!
Sharon
4campinfoxes
QuoteORIGINAL: 4campinfoxes
My turn to rant. As a fairly new (3rd year now) small business owner/partner, I m appalled at the taxes we pay......My husband & I pay more in taxes than many people make but it s not like we re driving Porsches! I d like to challenge anyone who thinks the current system is fair to look over my taxes. And I m sure with so many double income families out there more people than you would think have similar problems.
There is the biggest public misperception about the income tax. Income taxes don t, never will, can t really, tax people who are rich. Income taxes tax people who are
trying to become rich. If you are already rich, you can still have no income and pay no income tax. It s not just sheltering and loopholes. If you have a million dollars cash stuffed in a mattress, you will never pay tax on it, even if the government knows about it. It s not how much you have (being rich), but how much you earn (trying to become rich) that people are taxed on.
Austin
AustinBostonI personally would be in favor of a flat rate of 12% across the board. Doesn t matter what you make, do, own, or what. I am in favor of the removal of the double taxation on dividends, interests, etc. I mean come on, I ve paid taxes on that money already. Why penalize someone for saving money?
bikoleeI thought that I would add AZ s rates.
The state doesn t tax food. Maricopa county doesn t tax food. Phoenix doesn t tax food. But, the burbs do. You guessed it. In Peoria, I have an about .5 % food tax rate.
We have sales tax on everything, but food. All goods & services are taxed at three levels. The state has a base tax, the county & cities add to it. In Peoria it is about 8.5%. Our education funding (read salaries) are tied to this fluctuating tax.
Now, I have real property taxes that are taxed by everyone. The state, county, city, fire district, library district, school district, water district. I also have a vehicle lieu tax. This tax decreases the more your vehicle depriciates. It is health tax. My truck gets taxed (this year it might be less than $100) and my trailer gets taxed every year. Otherwise AZ doesn t have a personal property tax.
Your sin taxes are high on tabacco here. In Nov, the voters raised the tax again on those products with proceeds to go to help fund low income medical insurance. As if, AZ has a $150 million (I think) budget deficit this year.
Oh, we have a special tax on rental cars and hotel rooms to pay for a Cardinals statium. Why do they need a stadium, they can t sell out Arizona State s stadium?
stoichie
QuoteORIGINAL: stoichie
Oh, we have a special tax on rental cars and hotel rooms to pay for a Cardinals statium. Why do they need a stadium, they can t sell out Arizona State s stadium?
We have all those taxes also...the one that raises the biggest stink is the one they keep proposing for the stadiums (Arrowhead(Chiefs), and Kaufmann (Royals)). They want like a 1/2 cent sales tax on everything between the all the cities on either side of the state line. No one likes it cause it benefits only the owners of the teams. They want the tax payers to fund stadium improvements that are owned by multi millionares. If I remember right...their is all ready one in place for that..they want to boost it though. Fortunately it keeps getting shot down. I m still waiting for the personal property taxes to drop on my truck and camper.
AustinBostonwell, i hope y`all don`t jump on me now. i don`t really like taxes any more than the next guy, BUT, i really like nice new roads to drive on, and when i call the fire dept., i think its mighty fine when they come very quickly and bring the newest, latest gadgets and equiptment with them on shiny new trucks. and i am very happy that the small hick town we live in has a new grade school and have added a new addition to the 100 yr. old high school building. oh, and if i have a burglar, a police officer comes quickly, because they are NOT understaffed.[;)] jmho
cooncreekersLeigh Anne,
Jump, jump, jump.....[8D]
Actually what you are talking about comes from sales tax and property tax for the most part. Those aren t really a problem. It s the tax on the tax, on the tax that is the problem.
I forgot in my earlier post to include doing away with the inheritance tax. It is NOT just for the wealthy, I know. My father was not a wealthy man by all means, but after he passed away, I had to pay out over $60,000 in Estate taxes as I was the executor. Trust me, writing a check for over $50,000 to Uncle Sam is not a fun thing to do. The rest was to the state of Texas. Yes, we have a state Estate tax here. We also used one of the best CPA firms in the area to do all the taxes. The problem with this is that my dad had already paid taxes on what was in the estate. Now, the kids get it and they tax it again. That is where the problems with the current tax laws are.
QuoteIf you have a million dollars cash stuffed in a mattress, you will never pay tax on it, even if the government knows about it.
There is a major flaw in this statement. While it is true that you won t pay taxes on the " stashed" cash. You paid taxes on it in the process of getting it. That is of course it was accrued in an illegal manor.
AustinBoston
Quotethe one that raises the biggest stink is the one they keep proposing for the stadiums (Arrowhead(Chiefs), and Kaufmann (Royals)). They want like a 1/2 cent sales tax on everything between the all the cities on either side of the state line.
Here in Ft. Worth, they are proposing a 1 cent increase to build a
TOLL road from the downtown area thru southwest Ft. Worth.
Hello? If it is going to be a toll road, let the ones that use it pay for the d*mn thing.
bikolee
QuoteORIGINAL: bikolee
QuoteIf you have a million dollars cash stuffed in a mattress, you will never pay tax on it, even if the government knows about it.
There is a major flaw in this statement. While it is true that you won t pay taxes on the " stashed" cash. You paid taxes on it in the process of getting it. That is of course it was accrued in an illegal manor.
Actually, that is my point. If you HAVE it, you are rich, and don t necessarily get taxed. If you are trying to GET it, you are trying to become rich, and are taxed. Only those trying to become rich (or trying to become richer) are taxed.
Austin