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Topic: Rumor: Hillary Clinton preps for video game tax (Read 9378 times)
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Draxas
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See? I've already learned something. i was under the impression that income tax in the US was much lower than that. Would you mind posting which sort of income bracket you're placed in (or just PM it), just so I can compare it to the taxes here?
I don't make much. I'd prefer not to get into greater detail than that.
However, on average, a quarter-acre of property with a modest house on it will probably run you around $15,000 a year here in NJ. Which is why a lot of people leave for greener pastures in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. This is abit vague seeing as I don't know how you define a modest house. I'll have a look at it myself at some point.
Modest being defined as a typical 3 bed/2.5 bath. I don't have details on things like square footage or anything terribly specific, but as I understand, this is pretty typical of central Jersey suburbs; other areas could easily be even more expensive.
Let's put it a different way: Economists at Rutgers University released a report yesterday on the rate of increase of property taxes. On average, for NJ, property taxes increased somewhere on the order of ~40%, whereas the cost of living wage increase was ~5%. I believe that study covered only one year. That should give you a pretty good idea why fewer and fewer people can afford to live in this state.
On top of this, our wonderful governor recently announced that the state government may soon allow individual townships and municipalities to charge their own local taxes in addition to all of this. As if I didn't shell out enough to keep this country doing what it does. Wel lalready pay that kind of tax, but the nagain, we don't have any state, so we don't have a state tax. what kind of taxes do you have on alcohol, fuel, cigarettes and cars? any of those you can remember would be interesting.
So, essentially we're on par under the current system: We pay state tax, but not local, you pay local tax, but not state. With this increase, we get the triple threat. Of course, it's probably worth mentioning that other states have allowed local taxes for years, but their tax rates tend to be much lower in general.
Taxes on specific items vary a great deal, and also vary by state as well. I can't really vouch for the exact rates of "vice taxes" here in NJ, as I don't partake in said vices. However, cigraettes tend to run ~$5.50 - 7.00 a pack here. Alcohol, of course, varies wildyly based on quality, popularity, etc., so a price would be meaningless.
The average price per gallon in NJ is currently hovering right around $3, though the recent closure of the pipeline in Alaska is expected to cause that number to spike considerably in the coming months. I realize that fuel is much cheaper in the US than anywhere in Europe, but that's a consequence of actually having a national oil reserve, I suppose; the last figure I heard was that the Saudis pay ~30 cents per gallon for their gasoline, so I guess it's all relative.
As far as I'm aware, there is no separate tax on automobiles, though with all the legal mumbo-jumbo and rediculous surcharges levied by car dealerships, I can't really be sure that's the case. However, the 7% sales tax applies to their purchase, at the very least.
Soon, people will be telling you that you are unpleasant, or not evben funny in jest.
*sigh*
Soooooory Luuuuki, I won't do it agaaaaaain.
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Draxas
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I don't make much. I'd prefer not to get into greater detail than that.
Not even by PMing me a large income bracket into which you fall with the express purpose that it wont be posted here, or anywhere else?
How's this: I make more than minimum wage (which I think is up to $6.50 / hour in NJ), and less than 6 figures per year. Is that too wide?
Payscale is not a topic I enjoy discussing. I chose to enter a field that is both highly technical in nature and less-than-generous in terms of compensation, simply because it's what I like to do. I have to have "serious discussions" with people who know how much I make on a regular basis, is there any chance I could avoid doing so with anonymous strangers on the internet as well? Thanks.
Next time you buy a bottle of alcohol (assuming you do), could you check how large amount of the price is tax.
I drink on an annual basis: a glass of champagne on new years (if I actually bother to get through the whole glass). Suffice to say, I tend not to purchase alcohol, so I think someone else may have to help you with that one.
For a refernce on taxes, we may (about) 65% tax on fuel. The is independant of the price though, if the fuel becomes cheaper the tax percent is higher, and vice versa. On cars, we pay a 22% tax i believe.
Sheesh. Then again, it makes a certain amount of sense from the perspective of being as independant from foreign oil as possible. If nobody can afford to drive, then you don't have to import any oil, right? Things should be so simple. 
Still, gas and cars are cheap(er) in the US because they're domestic industries. Especially in our current administration, where all the top dogs are oilmen, why would they want to levy more taxes on their own products? This is to say nothing of how powerful the oil and automotive lobbies are in Washington. Betrayal of your constituents is tantamount to political suicide, and both industries have their hands in the pockets of both major parties. This is not even considering the factor of the Bushes and the Saudi Royal family, etc. Suffice to say oil will remain (relatively) cheap here vs. Europe for some time, and those cars will stay on the roads as long as they keep coming out of factories in the US.
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Lukipela
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The Ancient One
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Payscale is not a topic I enjoy discussing. I chose to enter a field that is both highly technical in nature and less-than-generous in terms of compensation, simply because it's what I like to do. I have to have "serious discussions" with people who know how much I make on a regular basis, is there any chance I could avoid doing so with anonymous strangers on the internet as well? Thanks.
Fair enough.
I drink on an annual basis: a glass of champagne on new years (if I actually bother to get through the whole glass). Suffice to say, I tend not to purchase alcohol, so I think someone else may have to help you with that one.
So the champagne just turns up at your house?
Sheesh. Then again, it makes a certain amount of sense from the perspective of being as independant from foreign oil as possible. If nobody can afford to drive, then you don't have to import any oil, right? Things should be so simple.
Actually, I think the principle is "If we tax the bollocks out of everyone who even looks like they can afford it, we can finance all those lovely social services that are abused by the dregs of society".
Still, gas and cars are cheap(er) in the US because they're domestic industries. Especially in our current administration, where all the top dogs are oilmen, why would they want to levy more taxes on their own products? This is to say nothing of how powerful the oil and automotive lobbies are in Washington. Betrayal of your constituents is tantamount to political suicide, and both industries have their hands in the pockets of both major parties. This is not even considering the factor of the Bushes and the Saudi Royal family, etc. Suffice to say oil will remain (relatively) cheap here vs. Europe for some time, and those cars will stay on the roads as long as they keep coming out of factories in the US.
I was under the impression that the US automobile industry is doing rather badly. So is there a large differenc in price between domestic US cars and international ones? Europe produces a very large amount of cars as well. I tihnk Finland probably is the only country in the union that doesn't produce regular cars. And the one with the highest import tax.
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What's up doc?
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Draxas
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So the champagne just turns up at your house?
Yeah, bubbly is sort of mystical like that. 
Actually, I just let the heavier drinkers spend the money. I drink so little, it's hard to accuse me of being a mooch and forcing me to pitch in.
Actually, I think the principle is "If we tax the bollocks out of everyone who even looks like they can afford it, we can finance all those lovely social services that are abused by the dregs of society".
In other words, we're not so different after all.
Still, gas and cars are cheap(er) in the US because they're domestic industries. Especially in our current administration, where all the top dogs are oilmen, why would they want to levy more taxes on their own products? This is to say nothing of how powerful the oil and automotive lobbies are in Washington. Betrayal of your constituents is tantamount to political suicide, and both industries have their hands in the pockets of both major parties. This is not even considering the factor of the Bushes and the Saudi Royal family, etc. Suffice to say oil will remain (relatively) cheap here vs. Europe for some time, and those cars will stay on the roads as long as they keep coming out of factories in the US. I was under the impression that the US automobile industry is doing rather badly. So is there a large differenc in price between domestic US cars and international ones? Europe produces a very large amount of cars as well. I tihnk Finland probably is the only country in the union that doesn't produce regular cars. And the one with the highest import tax.
Currently, American car companies are doing rather poorly, but they're on the road to recovery. That's what happens when you stake your company's life on the concept of every family owning a gas-guzzling tank, while the mideast is even more unstable than usual. A major paradigm shift for GM, at least, is what's kept them only partially submerged in the crapper.
It's hard to say if there's much difference between the prices of "domestic" and "foreign" cars, because those lines are so blurred now. Sure, Toyota and Honda are obviously Japanese companies, but the majority of the vehicles they produce are now assembled in plants in the US. Most other major car companies have done the same thing to remain competitive in the American market, so there really isn't much in the way of import charges on a lot of the cars you can buy here. Then again, the ones that they don't make in the US are either insanely expensive to begin with (those Italian sports cars immediately spring to mind), or have little to no presence in the market to begin with (I can't remember the last time I saw a Peugeot being sold here; are they even still in business?). The only possible excpetions are an assorted few German companies, which tend to sell pretty pricey vehicles anyway.
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