This is a pretty neat idea that is making its rounds in the Pennsylvania government these days. Basically, instead of paying 6% sales tax on things you buy at the store (except for unprepared food and clothing), you would pay nothing. The price you see on the item is the price you pay for that item.
Instead of you paying tax, the business that you bought the stuff from would pay a 4.5% tax on everything they sell during that year. Of course, the result is that the business is going to end up raising prices on everything to cover the tax, but probably not as much as what the 6% tax currently costs because the new gross receipts tax would be spread out over all of their goods.
Why do this apart from the obvious sales tax benefit? – Their goal is to eliminate property tax.
And you know what? I don’t really care if the poor need to spend an extra 5 cents on the dollar for food when I have these astronomical property taxes to pay, even if they see none of the benefits of reduced property tax. I guess I’m just getting to the point that if someone can’t think of a not-so-painful way to make it (taxes/government) work for everyone fairly, then I’m going to see to it that I get the good bargain.
So hey, if they raise the gross receipts tax to 9%, can I not pay school taxes either? Please?
