Most people believe that Europeans pay far more in taxes than Americans. After all, their Socialist-Democracies and all-encompassing centralized governments are known for eating up huge chunks of personal and corporate income, unlike here in the U.S. where most taxing power is reserved for the states.
While so much has been made of the federal income tax, it's state and local taxes that eat up a greater percentage of our income. Think about it... gasoline tax, communications tax, property tax, sales tax, cigarette tax, liquor tax, hotel bed tax, toll roads, fuel surcharge tax, school district tax, special assessment tax, etc., etc., etc. I have no doubt that we pay more taxes than the average European and we get far less in return.
Our convoluted decentralized tax system has created such a mish mosh of interdependencies that it's nearly impossible to figure them all out. And at what cost? Here's an example of one.
Sadly, I think the whole thing is much more sinister than simply wanting tax money for our roads. Perhaps the oil companies want to make more money. It's that simple -- sheer greed, and it's messed up.
ReplyDeleteInfuriating. I wonder what other things our government's keeping from us to protect the status quo.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to return to the 30's 40's when we didn't have any of those taxes and we didn't owe everyone and their kin.
ReplyDeleteAfter my last visit to Europe I wondered the same thing. I wasn't in the mood to raise hell, but after a few years of shaking my head I realize I don't have enough money to effect change. Those who have enough to change things don't want to for fear of lessening their accumulation.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly maddening. And I'm with Rubye - I believe the oil companies won't stand for it, for fear of losing us addicts.
ReplyDeleteSomebody crunch the numbers...we can then have something else to be indifferent over.
ReplyDeleteThis is infuriating but not surprising. I've heard lots of similar stories about other countries: alternative medical cures that "don't exist" in the U.S., renewable energy sources that "don't exist" here. So a VW with higher mileage that's only available in Europe -- not a bit surprising.
ReplyDeleteHi Brian,
ReplyDeletedid somebody also tell you that your petrol (gas) is cheaper in the US than in the UK and that we pay road tax in the Uk to keep the roads maintained?
You pays your money, you takes your choice. We all pay taxes; how else would our rich countries be able to come up with all the goodies we want them to supply for everyone of us.
I would love for someone to crunch the numbers so we could do an actual comparison, particularly a cost/benefit comparison.
DeleteI can hardly stand to think about it, the taxes that I pay. As a Minnesotan (high tax state) and a homeowner in Mpls (high property taxes), I sleep easier at night not thinking about it too much.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're thinking about it for me. :-)
Pearl