The slippery slope starts...

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

I heard that universities with their "shrinking" endowments are now trying to get their hands out and into the TARP funds, sending Obama letters asking for money, "because if they don't get it they won't be able to build their Medical Center" or whatever. Unreal!

Jesus... what a pit of growing dispair. Jerz... you're familiar with what's going on up there. What's your take on all the new proposed taxes by NY's governor? I mean, as we're heading into a real economic downward spiral, he has proposed an increase in the budget to $121 billion, while raising/adding taxes on 137 items such as:

* An "iTunes tax" of 4 percent on videos, music or pictures downloaded from the Internet.

* A 4 percent tax on taxi, limo and bus rides. That means a $10 cab ride would cost 40 cents more.

* A 4 percent entertainment tax on tickets to movies, concerts and sporting events. That would add nearly 50 cents to a $12 movie ticket or $1.80 to the cheapest $44.50 seat at a Knicks game.

* The tax on beer increases 24 cents per gallon, or more than double the current rate, which means about 30 cents a case.

* An 18 percent tax on nondiet soft drinks, which aims to reduce child obesity. A $1.50 can of Pepsi would then cost at least 25 cents more.

* A 4 percent tax on cable TV and satellite services, raising a $100 bill by $4.

* Hiking the cost of "personal" services- including haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages and gym memberships- by 4 percent.

* A 4 percent sales tax on clothing and shoes under $500, except for two weeks out of the year.

* Elimination of the law that caps the state sales tax on gasoline at 8 cents per gallon.

* Boosting the average vehicle registration fee for drivers by $11, from $44 to $55. Fees for new or renewed licenses also would increase 25 percent, or increase from $50 to about $62 to renew a license over eight years.

In addition, all drivers would have to get new, "reflectorized" license plates at a fee of $25 each. Plus new taxes on cigars, cars, yachts (over $200K... which isn't a yacht), and airplanes over $500K

http://www.nypost.com/seven/1217200...cker_144629.htm

quote:

Originally posted by The17sss I heard that universities with their "shrinking" endowments are now trying to get their hands out and into the TARP funds, sending Obama letters asking for money, "because if they don't get it they won't be able to build their Medical Center" or whatever. Unreal! Jesus... what a pit of growing dispair. Jerz... you're familiar with what's going on up there. What's your take on all the new proposed taxes by NY's governor? I mean, as we're heading into a real economic downward spiral, he has proposed an increase in the budget to $121 billion, while raising/adding taxes on 137 items such as: * An "iTunes tax" of 4 percent on videos, music or pictures downloaded from the Internet. * A 4 percent tax on taxi, limo and bus rides. That means a $10 cab ride would cost 40 cents more. * A 4 percent entertainment tax on tickets to movies, concerts and sporting events. That would add nearly 50 cents to a $12 movie ticket or $1.80 to the cheapest $44.50 seat at a Knicks game. * The tax on beer increases 24 cents per gallon, or more than double the current rate, which means about 30 cents a case. * An 18 percent tax on nondiet soft drinks, which aims to reduce child obesity. A $1.50 can of Pepsi would then cost at least 25 cents more. * A 4 percent tax on cable TV and satellite services, raising a $100 bill by $4. * Hiking the cost of "personal" services- including haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages and gym memberships- by 4 percent. * A 4 percent sales tax on clothing and shoes under $500, except for two weeks out of the year. * Elimination of the law that caps the state sales tax on gasoline at 8 cents per gallon. * Boosting the average vehicle registration fee for drivers by $11, from $44 to $55. Fees for new or renewed licenses also would increase 25 percent, or increase from $50 to about $62 to renew a license over eight years. In addition, all drivers would have to get new, "reflectorized" license plates at a fee of $25 each. Plus new taxes on cigars, cars, yachts (over $200K... which isn't a yacht), and airplanes over $500K http://www.nypost.com/seven/1217200...cker_144629.htm

i don't mind taxes on consumption because you can modify your decisions if you don't want to pay that tax. However, i prefer uniformity. i haven't really read too much other than the soda tax, with which i actually agree. when there is a 4% hike, 8% hike, a 12% hike for different goods i'm concerned. I'd rather see a straight 1% increase across the board or a broadening of the tax base (i.e., include more goods within the sales tax) than to see sporadic increases with no real relation to anything.

I guess that's what New Yorkers get for subsidizing so much of the rest of the union with our tax dollars, less to go around for ourselves.

Just look at NY vs. Alabama or Alaska for per capita tax benefits.

___________________
"Go back to bed america your government is in control
Here's American Gladiators, here is 56 channels of it,
Watch these picturary retards bang their fuckin' skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom,
Here you go America you are free to do as we tell you
We want your soul
Your cash, your house, your phone, your cash, your house, your life" -Adam Freeland - We Want Your Soul

i fucking hate consumption taxes. taxes should be levied on what someone can afford to pay, not on what their interests are.

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN i fucking hate consumption taxes. taxes should be levied on what someone can afford to pay, not on what their interests are.

sound tax policy should draw from numerous justifications. As you pointed out, taxes should be imposed on those who can afford to pay. Taxes should also be imposed on something that has a broad and stable tax base (consumption happens to be broad and stable). Taxes should also relate to how much government benefits accrue to the taxpayer. while this one is tricky, it is still possible to come to a reasonable estimate of how much benefit certain social classes receive from the government. Unlike the popular notion that the poor receive the most from government, rich are likely to benefit much more from government than the poor. The rich benefit in so many more ways from government services than do the poor. Namely, the simple access to government (i.e., political influence) is probably the most stark difference.

Does anyone else find it interesting that NY wants to do an obesity tax on Pepsi, but that also want to tax gym memberships? If you're going to promote healthy lifestyles, shouldn't you want to lower the ridiculous prices that gyms are in NY?

___________________
"Go back to bed america your government is in control
Here's American Gladiators, here is 56 channels of it,
Watch these picturary retards bang their fuckin' skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom,
Here you go America you are free to do as we tell you
We want your soul
Your cash, your house, your phone, your cash, your house, your life" -Adam Freeland - We Want Your Soul

quote:

Originally posted by Groundhog Boy I guess that's what New Yorkers get for subsidizing so much of the rest of the union

... plus the massive amounts of foreigners who suck up NY's resources.

quote:

Originally posted by The17sss ... plus the massive amounts of foreigners who suck up NY's resources.

READ: Aliens

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."

quote:

Originally posted by The17sss ... plus the massive amounts of foreigners who suck up NY's resources.

NY could fund 3x the number of illegals that we harbor if we didn't have to bail out Southerners that feel they're taxed too much.

___________________
"Go back to bed america your government is in control
Here's American Gladiators, here is 56 channels of it,
Watch these picturary retards bang their fuckin' skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom,
Here you go America you are free to do as we tell you
We want your soul
Your cash, your house, your phone, your cash, your house, your life" -Adam Freeland - We Want Your Soul