"Raise the gas tax", USA Today Editorial Board says

Couldn't agree more. I actually for a brief moment considered selling my Prius just because of some of the conversation I had on here and the bullseye target that seems to be on the car. But that would be simply ridiculous. I am doing my part and enjoying the ride.

 

Not in the least.

If I were smug about owning a Prius, and referred to the" Smug Alert", then I would either be hypocritical or be laughing at myself.

By your implied standard, anyone pointing out obnoxious behavior in others would be hypocritical.

 

How do you come up with that number?
Generally a middle-income family pays about 25% in income taxes, social security, etc, then maybe 7-10% in sales tax, maybe 5-10% in property tax (which can be written off of the income taxes). That can put you up to 40-something %.

But this really isn't about taxes. This is about protecting America. If there's one thing that will happen, gas prices will go up in the future, perhaps quite dramatically. If we reduce our exposure to that, our economy will be better buffered. If we send less money overseas, our economy will be much stronger (petroleum is our single largest part of the trade imbalance). If we reduce the amount of money that unstable and unfriendly countries get (particularly middle-eastern $ that filters down to the terrorists), then our own shores are safer.

This is an issue of defending the American way of life. Either it's done thru mandates, restrictions and incentives, but the conservatives don't like that because it abuses the free-market; or it's done by taxing the source of the problem, but the conservatives don't like that either because it's taxes. I hope the conservatives will like a lower standard of living in the future, because that's what we're left with. The free market has a lot going for it, but it doesn't anticipate future problems well, and the average Joe Consumer will listen to whoever he agrees with the most, not necessarily the person closest to the truth.

 

Ah, but how do you know you're not smug? An obnoxious person is usually the last to realize it.

(I'm not claiming you are, but this part of the thread is becoming a bit cyclical, so it seemed an appropriate extension).

 

Ah, but I didn't say I wasn't smug about anything, i said i wasn't smug about owning a Prius.

 

You must be smug since you bought a prius

But you aren't smug in how great an environmentalist it makes you to put a $10K tax on SUVs or a $5 gas tax because taxes are too low, and those evil soccer moms just love them terrorists, and those fast food workers would just spend the money on booze and cigarettes. And think how much gas we would save if we lowered the speed limit to 55 like nixon did, and charged a $1000 fine for 1 mph over the limit cause that's wasting fuel.

 

Found me out! I am a socialist... No joke.

 

I'm not a liberal, nor am I a supporter of more (overall) taxes. (Sorry to diverge from the stereotype probably expected.)

 

Never said you were...

 

Believe me... we all know.

 

If I'm not smug about having a Prius do I have to take it back so someone with the appropriate mount of smugness can have it?

 

The smug card borders on Godwin's Law - used when losing an argument (or unable to discuss factually, so resort to emotional tatics.)

Besides, this thread topic would be no less relevant if the Prius never existed.

 

Everyone that I have run into over the last year from NJ/NY remarks on the tax burden. I'm curious as to what benefit those two states provide to the citizens compared to other states due to the higher tax rate. (I'm not trying to stir up something, I just do not know what all the extra taxes buy.)

 

How do I come up with that number? Are you kidding me? As someone who lives in the Chicago area, you should know EXACTLY what I am talking about!

I live in one of the highest taxed counties in the United States (Nassau County, NY). In addition to federal, state, FICA (Social Security) and local income taxes, we pay the aforementioned high property taxes, high sales taxes, MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) surcharges on our utility bills and car registrations, and high tolls to cross most of the area bridges. The total of these taxes, fees, tolls, and surcharges easily comes out to 60% of my income!

 

Now tell us your ROI, Return On Investment, for all those taxes you pay.

 

I can't speak for Bababooey, but as a fellow Nassau County resident I can safely say that 60% of my tax burden is school taxes. This is fairly similar across the island. Fine if you have children in the school system, but the rest of us are getting royally screwed.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem paying my fair share because I do believe education is a good investment. However I fail to see the educational value in mid level administrators making six figures, and needless spend on frivolous things like artificial turf football fields just because it's "for the children".

The ROI on that is zero, it's legalized pickpocketing and it has been driving people out of their homes. Speaking for myself, I'd need the out of control school tax issues addressed before I'd even consider the value of paying even one more cent in gas taxes (or any other taxes for that matter).

 

Sounds like the issue This school administrators That are unable to do the job. Around here an effective School administrator is Easily worth the 6 figure salary.

You do not attract top talent If you do not Pay top salaries. Where i live Because the living and so high That you cannot be attractive unless u pay fairly well.

I doubt that You are forced to live there. I also have the option To live in the midwest For the cost of living is half Of what it is here And i can do it Without changing jobs Then i'd choose to live here Because.... you may add the end of that sentence

 

Oh you have no idea how terrible of a job an administrator is. All those parents you see and think to yourself "they shouldn't be allowed to be a parent" or are being loud rude and obnoxious send their kids to school somewhere. The administrator of those districts has to deal with these people everyday. Add to that the general incompetence of many of the lower-level people that keep the district going (i.e. bus drivers, janitors, catering/cafeteria) and you have a recipe for disaster. They deserve their six figure pay. It is a very demanding job, and the hours are much more than 9-5 with no forgiveness.

 

AFAIK, most of what I give in taxes goes to fighting wars. So the ROI is negative.

OTOH, there is always Somalia for low taxes & no regulations.

 

So are a lot of other jobs, the big difference being that school administrators are payed tax payer dollars and yet aren't beholden to the taxpayer.