[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Even in border towns it is highly unlikely or minimal at best. Remember time is money and few if any builders is going to waste their time and gas money to save a few pennies. Even a few dollars if that. Jay

The eastern third of Vermont is a retail wasteland because everybody drives over the Connecticut River to do their shopping in tax-free New Hampshire. There's just about zero retail in Vermont other than food and clothing which aren't taxed until you get more than 40 miles away from New Hampshire. All the states bordering Connecticut have a sales tax. Other than gasoline, there isn't much of a tax penalty. I always fuel up before I get to the CT state line and pretty much never buy gasoline in the state. I'm not going out of my way but I look at GasBuddy on my smartphone and pick the cheapest fuel along my route. It's never the case where a Connecticut gas station is the cheapest place on my route.

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Even in border towns it is highly unlikely or minimal at best. Remember time is money and few if any builders is going to waste their time and gas money to save a few pennies. Even a few dollars if that. Jay

Not only that, but a business is just going to add the 1.50 tax to the cost of materials and bill their clients for the tax.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The eastern third of Vermont is a retail wasteland because everybody drives over the Connecticut River to do their shopping in tax-free New Hampshire. There's just about zero retail in Vermont other than food and clothing which aren't taxed until you get more than 40 miles away from New Hampshire. All the states bordering Connecticut have a sales tax. Other than gasoline, there isn't much of a tax penalty. I always fuel up before I get to the CT state line and pretty much never buy gasoline in the state. I'm not going out of my way but I look at GasBuddy on my smartphone and pick the cheapest fuel along my route. It's never the case where a Connecticut gas station is the cheapest place on my route.

The eastern third of Vermont is not very populated. It is mostly mountains on the western side of the Connecticut River. The largest town is Brattleboro with just 11,000 people. There are numerous stores downtown and along Route 5 there for shopping. If people did what you say, those stores would not be there. The next largest town on that side of the state is St. Johnsbury with 7,200 people. I have several family members that live in that area and they do most of their shopping in Vermont. They only go to New Hampshire to shop at a large mall or outlets which they do not have in their state.

Another thing to note is that most Vermont towns have zoning limits to keep out big box stores. The residents do not want the state overrun with Home Depots, Lowes and Walmarts. That is likely why you only see them in larger towns like Rutland and around Burlington. Jay

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by JayCT

The eastern third of Vermont is not very populated. It is mostly mountains on the western side of the Connecticut River. The largest town is Brattleboro with just 11,000 people. There are numerous stores downtown and along Route 5 there for shopping. If people did what you say, those stores would not be there. The next largest town on that side of the state is St. Johnsbury with 7,200 people. I have several family members that live in that area and they do most of their shopping in Vermont. They only go to New Hampshire to shop at a large mall or outlets which they do not have in their state.

Another thing to note is that most Vermont towns have zoning limits to keep out big box stores. The residents do not want the state overrun with Home Depots, Lowes and Walmarts. That is likely why you only see them in larger towns like Rutland and around Burlington. Jay

In Brattleboro, the Walmart is across the river. What shopping there is in Brattleboro is largely tourist-oriented.



Hartford/Norwich is a much larger population center than St Johnsbury. There's no retail in White River Junction. It's all across the river. From there, the nearest big box store in Vermont is the Home Depot in Rutland 40 miles from the river.


In that part of the state, if you are buying a washing machine or a flat screen, you drive to New Hampshire.

[RunD1987]

CT should do away with sales tax by 2025

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

CT should do away with sales tax by 2025

CT is more likely to have a 9% sales tax than no sales tax by 2025. Taxes have to go up to deal with all the debt and unfunded pension liability.

[AzScorpion12]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

Sounds like a great reason to pack up and move to another state. If someone buys two gallons of paint a year that person will save $3.00. Over ten years the savings would add up to $30.00. With that type of savings a person can probably retire 5 years earlier.

You're not taking into account the thousand of professionals who buy much more than that. I use to buy at least 50 gals a week and some weeks closer to 100 gals. so tell me how this isn't going to add up for us pros? It's hard enough trying to stay competitive now with this added fee it really ads up for us. Sure the average customer won't notice when we're only painting a room or two it's the new homes where we're buying 40-50 gals between the ceilings,walls and trim. Builders are cheap enough as it is so good luck trying to get the extra money out of them!

But as usual most of you are only looking at this one way through your own rose colored glasses. Thankfully I'll never have to deal with all these dumb "fees" that Ma and Ct love to impose on everybody. But just keep telling yourself that "it's only $1.50" and one day you might realize how much all of these little "fees" are actually costing you.

[MikefromCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

CT is more likely to have a 9% sales tax than no sales tax by 2025. Taxes have to go up to deal with all the debt and unfunded pension liability.

Frankly, I don't care if the pensions are underfunded. It's not my fault, it's not my problem. We're not their safety net. If our leaders had any balls or brains whatsoever, they'd tell the AFL-CIO that they're not always going to get what they want instead of cravenly ceding to them all the time.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

CT is more likely to have a 9% sales tax than no sales tax by 2025. Taxes have to go up to deal with all the debt and unfunded pension liability.

Lower income and sales tax. Raise gas tax. Eliminate property tax cap on vehicles. Eliminate Estate and Gift Taxes. Implement Bridge Tolls. In a year lower it to 4%, 6 years 2%, and in 12 years can do away with Sales Tax.

[LINative]

Originally Posted by Gixxer1K

You're not taking into account the thousand of professionals who buy much more than that. I use to buy at least 50 gals a week and some weeks closer to 100 gals. so tell me how this isn't going to add up for us pros? It's hard enough trying to stay competitive now with this added fee it really ads up for us. Sure the average customer won't notice when we're only painting a room or two it's the new homes where we're buying 40-50 gals between the ceilings,walls and trim. Builders are cheap enough as it is so good luck trying to get the extra money out of them!

But as usual most of you are only looking at this one way through your own rose colored glasses. Thankfully I'll never have to deal with all these dumb "fees" that Ma and Ct love to impose on everybody. But just keep telling yourself that "it's only $1.50" and one day you might realize how much all of these little "fees" are actually costing you.

That is what I was thinking. Unless painters, contractors and other professionals are a decent distance from the border, its worth a trip over the state line to save $75 to $150. But its not just that. I am thinking that these Connecticut professionals may also buy other supplies while they are buying paint in Massachusetts or New York - which means even more lost revenue to Connecticut. So it is not just the paint taxes that Connecticut will be losing, it will on everything from nails and sheetrock to roofing supplies and power equipment.