$1200!!!

[rdamurphy]

The wife and I bought a used 2004 Jeep Liberty last month. Got the paperwork to get the license plates on it: Taxes and Fees: $1200 in Colorado!

And people wonder why folks can't afford their mortgages!

Let's list 'em, shall we:

Taxes:

Federal Income Tax
FICA - Social Security
Medicare
CO State Income Tax
City "head" tax (I pay $8 a week for the priveledge of working in a City I don't live in... - taxation without representation anyone?)
County Property tax - includes School District taxes.
RTD tax (transportation district)
Stadium tax (for our football and baseball stadiums. Collected as Sales Tax.)
City sales tax (including a sales tax on FOOD!)
County sales tax
State sales tax (All three total over 8%! - no State sales tax on food.)
Rangeview Library District Tax (included in Property Taxes)
Scientific and Cultural Facilities Tax (included in Property taxes)
Emmissions control testing ($25 a year - per car!)
County Parks and Open Space tax (included in Property taxes)
State Lottery. (I don't participate in this tax - the State keeps half of the proceeds - and then charges State income tax on top of it!)
Cable TV tax
Telephone line charges and taxes - 911 taxes and fees.
Cell phone line charges and taxes - 911 taxes and fees.
Parks fee: Just to drive into a State Park - costs $8 a carload.

I'll think of more later, I'm sure...

Robert

[zzmikezz]

I live in Lakewood. Even so, it's better than living in Taxachussetts.

[rdamurphy]

Don't worry, the Dems have taken over the Statehouse and the Governor's Mansion, and they're already trying to figure out how to bypass the Taxpayer Bill of Rights that prevents tax hikes without a vote of the People...

We're not too far behind Taxachuesettes as it is!

Robert

[zzmikezz]

And yet . . . And yet . . I’m not in agreement with what follows, but I found it very interesting.

A few years ago, after many years of procrastination, I actually read the Federalist Papers, and I was stunned to read that most of the founders felt that there should be no limitation of the power of the federal government to tax, or to raise an army.

They agreed to begin by limiting federal taxation to customs duties, but it soon grew to include the whiskey tax, etc etc etc. Quite apart from putting down rebellion and repelling foreign invaders, they felt that there were certain things that needed to be done, and to be done at the federal level, like the postal service. Later that same reasoning was employed to fund development of the transcontinental railroad in the form of grants of federal land. Of course we’ve gone ridiculously far beyond that at both federal and state levels.

Okay, asbestos suit donned, fog nozzle is at the ready.

[jovet]

I believe that the mentality is that in certain situations and ways, the survival of the country is more important than the sovereignty of the states. Unlimited Taxing is a bit of misnomer, but there are some things worth paying for, and as long as the people are represented, then it can be called equivocal.

My, how times change. Seems we find ourselves with a "lot more worth paying for" huh? Too bad nobody asked me.

[rdamurphy]

The thing that bugs me is that the County tried raising taxes a few years ago, and one of the things they cited on the circular they sent out (who paid for that, I wonder?) was that if they didn't get their tax hike, they might not be able to afford to plant flowers in the street medians anymore.

They didn't get it...

Robert

[zzmikezz]

You're lucky. When it comes to cutbacks, the government posture is usually "firemen first" to make sure that the cutbacks don't happen.

[kevarc]

That is as bad as Hawaii - one of the guys has an old Accord and has to pay 230/year tag fee, plus inspection. And they pay taxes on EVERYTHING, IIRC, they have an ad valorum tax on personal property.

On the other hand, in Louisiana, a four year tag for my F150 cost a whole $48, with $10/year inspection fee. My property tax was a whole $56. I get the first $75000 free and my property is considered Ag.

[USRailFan]

You guys go find some of those statistics site that shows new car prices and car taxes in many European countries - I doubt you're gonna complain about the prices in the USofA anymore after that.

[zzmikezz]

Yes but ... Where does Louisiana rank in quality of public school education?

Anticipating a low rank (but I don't know), thanks to the teachers' union there isn't a direct correlation between money spent and true education delivered, but surely there must be some rough relationship.

[kevarc]

It sucks. Most of the money comes from sales taxes and we pay on just about everything. Though some items are reduced to a lower tax rate - food, meds, utilities. The thing is, in most places, public schools suck. The key is to push your child into making honors classes. They have the better teachers and resources.

[pstraten]

" sales taxes"

Ah, can't wait till Huckabee's national sales tax replaces the income tax. I won't even have to wait until it climbs to 60% for everyone across the board to hear the complaints.

Why don't we all stand up and say it:

Taxes? We don' need no steenkin' taxes!

After all when you cut taxes to zero the trickle-down increase in productivity and revenue from megacorporations will make it possible to start and wage endless wars everywhere, we'll all have pie on earth and not in the sky, and we'll live in paradise!

Addendum: here is a little thought. While our stock market is closed on Martin Luther King day, the rest of the world is tanking. Not that I'm predicting another Black Tuesday, but just to point out that there is a slight flaw in the conservative idea that free markets behave rationally.

Anything but! --except maybe in 20- or 30-year chunks.

[rdamurphy]

Actually, the Conservative idea is the fact that free markets are not rational - but adjust to changes, it's known as Laissez-faire economics, which, oddly enough, is a Classical Liberalism idea or Libertarian idea. It is also the basis for Milton Friedman's ideals and what we currently understand as "Reaganomics."

See, there you go again! You need a textbook to understand Conservative ideals!

This is also what Paul1953 means when he says there are no Liberals around here. What we understand as today's "liberals" are really just people with no moral compass, no understanding of politics or economics, who just blindly go through life "knowing" everything is true because they believe it, and think the Politics of Envy is actually a good way to govern...

Robert

[zzmikezz]

What they suffer from is tax envy, an aspect of their desire to make our country look like European countries in a political sense. The job is not done till the economy is incapable of growth.

[Kenny1234]

I dont have a problem with paying sales tax on a vehicle ONCE when you buy it. But nowadays, when people move from state to state, then end up paying the equivalent of sales tax again on the depreciated value of the car to the state they are entering. Thats just outright theft. Its a classic case of business and government working together to both gain at the expense of the average citizen. Auto industry lobbyists who went to state Houses selling a tax scheme that creates either a fiscal incentive for new car purchases whenever people move, or a windfall to states financially if the person balks at buying a new car.

Sort of a win-win-lose situation.

While Big Business is bad for business, Big Government isnt the solution, either. Especially when they are "in on it together".