TAX TIME!

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by kstar

You're in TX, right? Your property taxes are so high that they add up to more than my state income tax and my property tax. Plus, while you don't pay sale tax on food, it is made up for by higher sales taxes on other items.

Also, you think that is you rent that you aren't paying property taxes? While you aren't filing them or writing the check, your rent is inflated so that the landlord is still making a profit on the property. Bus ticket prices go up as cost of fuel increases, though since bus lines are usually subsidized, they really don't have to worry about raising prices until gas jumps significantly.

Also, this person that your talking about that doesn't own a house and doesn't own a car, probably doesn't have enough income to qualify to have to pay state income taxes anyways.

First of all, I do NOT live in Texas. No offense to the Texans on this board.

There are many people in metropolitan areas that live in apartments and ride public transportation to work. It doesn't mean they don't own a car; they just drive their car less often, and probably just don't like sitting in traffic and paying for expensive daily parking. So I'm not sure where you get this idea that people who don't own homes and choose not to own cars or drive them to work every day don't make much money. Try telling that to New Yorkers, or San Franciscans, or Seattlites.

I happen to live in Washington - Seattle area to be more specific - a state that overall just has a higher cost of living. I live in an apartment, because it costs a fortune to buy a house here and it's not easy for most single people to do. I do own a car, but I used to park it every day and ride the Express bus to work because I didn't like sitting in traffic and paying $21 a day to park in my office tower. Now that I've changed jobs, I'm back to driving my hour-or-so commute. This state has the highest gas taxes in the country, which for me makes a difference but for those who take the bus/train, it doesn't mean as much. Our sales tax is higher than average, and according to this chart, our property taxes aren't crazy either.

What I'm saying is that clearly people in certain states are taxed more than others...all is not fair in love and taxes.

ETA: I forgot about another tax my state collects, but most people don't have to pay it - Tobacco tax. Washington's is one of the highest. But again, it's another example of lifestyle choices driving your tax burden.

Here's a chart on how states rank in taxes: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...sForTaxes.aspx