Consumption taxes are always more of a burden to people who earn less money unless, as David says, necessities are exempted. Even then the burden falls most heavily on the poor. I would much much prefer a steeply graduated income tax and no sales tax at all on most goods.

Didn't realize that. What would be considered necessities besides food, clothing?

I'd wager that outside of rent/mortgage food is next and a major part of all income spent with things like utilities and gasoline being next on the list.

In our locale food from the store is not taxed, but hard goods are.

Well neither here nor there thingy,

NY I believe just enacted a (sin tax) on soda beverages in an effort to get people to eat healthy - Meanwhile the Fed welfare system has enacted a (no snack food) to be charged on the Fed debit card. Most if not all states don't sales tax drug prescriptions. So this selected grouping has been around for awhile now and is already in place in some states.

Bottom line;
No matter how the selected field to be fair is chosen = Both sides, rich or poor will pay back whatever savings from a no payroll tax ban by the end of that year.

fwiw;
Our sales tax is 4.125% - no sales tax on drugs and other medical services. To be honest why not just make it 5% - I don't see how ya can cut a penny 0.125% , , WTF ?

I hate that splitting hairs like with the marshmallows. WHO says small is food, large is snack? Seems like it doesn't matter... do you use small or large marshmallows in your hot chocolate? One is food the other is snack... what IS hot chocolate? Those kinds of distinctions are crazy.

I can see taxing candy bars, ice cream bars, etc. Those are snacks. BUT what do you do with something like Trail Mix, or beef Jerky? Sometimes I eat a small candy bar for my lunch- keeps me going when I don't have time to stop. SO I'd get taxed ! But if I ate a sandwich I wouldn't !

I think I like the distinction if its hard goods like Kleenex, paper towels. etc - tax it. If it's edible, don't. One man's snack is another man's meal !!

Food and clothing are about it, Jim. If you want to be really generous then fuel is also a necessity, but I don't know of any place where fuel is exempted from sales taxes. Well, maybe for retired folks heating fuel is exempted somewhere or other, but if so I don't know where that might be. Here in PA, food and clothing are both exempted from sales taxes, by the way. Naturally enough, many Reps want to tax those things and get rid of property taxes. I hate property taxes myself, but at the same time, I think property taxes can also be thought of as being a sort of graduated tax system, at least on the assumption that people with more income buy more expensive houses and so they pay more in property taxes. It's pretty indirect as a graduation of the taxes, though.

As to property taxes. Many folks don't realize that non home owners pay property taxes. This issue comes up when the subject that illegal aliens don't pay any taxes. Those who rent pay property taxes through their rent. Increases to property taxes to the owner will be transferred to higher rents.

Not saying I'm opposed to property taxes but they aren't accessed fairly in my opinion.

Dave

you mean people don't reply to the question ,"where are you vacationing this year? ", By answering with " we are vacationing in Kansas"

Dave

Sadly True Dave. I've driven through much of Kansas and it's as flat as the Texas panhandle (where I was raised). Pretty fields of wheat, but not much for tourism. I will say eastern Kansas was more rolling hills and greenery ! (but that was decades ago)

Not saying I'm opposed to property taxes but they aren't accessed fairly in my opinion.

Here;
Property tax is a % for every assessed 1,000 of value <- everyone pays the same % of every 1,000. So thats fair since one can buy a million dollar home , he will pay more than a guy who bought a cheap home.

However the trick word is assessed ? ? what that is based on is market value from a given hood. So rich hoods with big homes are assessed higher than poor ghetto hoods. Sounds fair right ? not really.

true story;

One hood I lived in although beach front homes but they were built in the 1920s. Single wall construction very old and simple homes. 1982 a hurricane hit and damaged all the homes on that street except for one, who was my neighbor, his home was virtually untouched.

Now everyone rebuilt their homes with insurance money, except for my neighbor who got no money because he had no damage. Everyone rebuild these big beautiful homes with pools . The city came by and assessed the new value of 1.2 million for the hood -> even my neighbor still with his 1920 home had to pay the new property tax rate , now being retired he could not afford the taxes and was forced to sell.

Cali has the best I believe - the value is what you paid for it - not someone that drives by and drops an assessment.

I'll bet they want to eliminate Income and corporate tax and raise sales tax. It's what Jindal is trying to do in LA and it shifts taxes to lower incomes and gives the wealthy a free-er ride.

You wait ... that'll be the plan in KS too !!

Many of the GOP Govs are operating from the same Playbook !!

I hope people TOSS their sorry azzes out !!