Taxes

[Erik_Twice]

^Well most countries don't have that so we need taxes, unfortunatedly. However I don't quite agree with the Alaskan model at all.

[gtmtnbiker]

What do you not like about the Alaskan model? The fact that they're getting money from the government? You need to elaborate more than just a one line comment.

The government gets money from the various oil companies that are drilling there and for the Trans-Alaskan pipeline. It covers more than their expenses such that they give some of it back to their residents.

It's available to you. Just move up there. It's not an easy life as you think it is.

[bigllama99]

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[Incognito D]

Scotland has gas in the North Sea - where's my money, government!?

[MrPopo]

The interesting thing about America is, as mentioned, the various areas of the government can each levy a tax. The federal goverment, the state goverment, and sometimes the city/county government. In Illinois there is a ~7.5% sales tax and a state income tax. In Washington there is a 10% sales tax and no state income tax. I personally prefer situations like the latter, as it means that you can save more money. In America very few businesses will include the sales tax in the sticker price. It is generally places like movie theaters and street merchants who want to deal in units of quarter dollars or higher that will include the tax. Everywhere else tax is not included and pricing takes the model of reducing nice round numbers by a penny. So instead of $50 it's $49.99. Instead of $2 it's $1.99.

[vejita]

One more thing is , I do not understand why should I pay taxes on things I own? I worked for 15 years to buy that home, now I should enjoy it, not work for the nest 50 years in my life just to keep it. I already paid taxes on it when I bought, why should I pay taxes on it just standing there. Everything else too, my boat, my car, I bought all of that. I worked for it, and paid tax when I bought it. I agree on taxing anything generating income like owning a rented real estate(because that is doing business) but my home is my home. Now I understand why a lot of foreigners think we are rich. with an income of like $2700 a month, you can afford a Lexus, BMW, or whatever you like easy.

Another amazing thing, how is it that any government can keep track of the incomes and taxes for 250+ million people? that is like impossible. I bet it is impossible to track 1 million people. Also among all those calculations something must go wrong due to human error, will I be put in jail for fraud even if it was an honest mistake?

Owning land or cars or houses costs money against the government- since it's possible for people to make a lot of money, it's possible they can buy property and live on their own- not contributing to the general population. It's a type of insurance for everyone involved so that money keeps flowing... but...

Tax exemption is for organizations which don't really contribute financially to the general economy, like charities. Federal buildings, which are sided with the laws and are provided for by the citizens, are tax exempt but wind up delivering costs to everyone else and eliminating any efficient work that has been planned. The government is competing with private businesses which hurts everyone. If the government were subject to taxes, you'd see a nice leveling of power... but it would only happen if we enforced a social contract theory.

And you're right, they can't keep track of everyone. It only really matters when people make a decent amount of money. In fact, in my own state they started hunting down ANYONE who has not paid taxes, even if they are students or dirt poor (in other words, shouldn't be paying taxes anyway), because the government is short of a couple of millions to give back to the businesses. IOUs all around...

[otaku]

I pay some taxes (sales etc) which hurts me enough really as I make so small an amount of money usually I get money back when I file my taxes

[fox099]

I pay about 47% of my income to taxes. About 75% goes to the federal government, and the other 25% goes to the state of massachusetts. On top of that, I pay 6.5% sales tax ontop of everything.

[gtmtnbiker]

I pay about 47% of my income to taxes. About 75% goes to the federal government, and the other 25% goes to the state of massachusetts. On top of that, I pay 6.5% sales tax ontop of everything.

For me, it's almost a 50/50 split between Federal and State (Mass). That's because I have a pretty large amount of itemized deductions. Fortunately, I have not been bitten by the AMT yet.

[Octopod]

Im in Mass too. I dont mind taxes at all. I do mind that it is spent on funding wars though. I wish we would get a form to fill out directing where our money went or something. That will never happen though.