national sales tax

[jgruber]

But that's regressive.  I'm not comfortable with the idea of taxes necessities.  It seems draconian.

Dropping the property tax could make sense.  It used to be the primary indication of wealth, but not anymore.

In Pennsylvania, they are talking about lowering the sales tax from 6 percent to 4 percent but widening it to cover food and other current exemptions. This plan would also eliminate ALL property and other nuisance taxes. It's an interesting proposal...

[Bisquick]

That would be insanely regressive.  Lets tax food and take away tax on property??  Double hit on the poor and big break for the wealthy.  I do support trickle-down economics to some extent, but that is too much for even me.

[jgruber]

In some cases property taxes are regressive. Ex. retired couple with paid off house, but very little income.

[Bisquick]

I guess that is a hard call.  The bottom end of the spectrum may own no property and only pay minimal tax through a landlord, for those people abolishing a property tax to raise taxes on food wouldn't help much.

[jgruber]

Yup.  I'd support elimination of property tax because it does not reflect the ability to pay.

But taxing food,,,,,, no way, dudes.

I guess that is a hard call.  The bottom end of the spectrum may own no property and only pay minimal tax through a landlord, for those people abolishing a property tax to raise taxes on food wouldn't help much.

[Bisquick]

What does anyone think about estate/inheritance taxes?  Coming from a farm (coming up with cash to cover taxes on the value of the land is not easy) we are extremely happy with the current expansion on exemptions.  Did they ever pass that permanently?

[buster]

What does anyone think about estate/inheritance taxes?  Coming from a farm (coming up with cash to cover taxes on the value of the land is not easy) we are extremely happy with the current expansion on exemptions.  Did they ever pass that permanently?

It was my understanding that the estate tax kicked it only at high dollar figures ($1 mil plus?) so that the vast majority of farms were already exempt. Was that not the case, or are you coming from a farm of that sort?

[jgruber]

I believe it kicks in at 1.5 million now

[jacy85]

Mass. is like that.  I worked in an Irish boutique that sold expensive sweaters and capes during college.

The first $175 of each item of clothing you're buying is untaxed.  Whatever the amount over $175 is taxed at the usual MA sales tax, which is 5%. This seems to simplify the system in that you're not categorizing specific luxury items and crap like that, although the dumb tourists I had to explain it to never seemed to understand.

If I remember correctly, New Jersey had just such a situation.

clothing below certain dollar amounts are not taxed.



And I think Mass. is like that.

defeated?  You have very valid points. 

Indiana does tax at restaurants.

Clothing could be harder to do.  I would really hope that a lavish fur coat would be taxed, but don't want Little Timmy's snowsuit to be taxed.

[nathanielmark]

defeated by the evidence that it wasnt very hard to implement the kinds of buffers you had mentioned.

defeated?  You have very valid points. 

Indiana does tax at restaurants.

Clothing could be harder to do.  I would really hope that a lavish fur coat would be taxed, but don't want Little Timmy's snowsuit to be taxed.