Good Goobie, you've got 9% Sales Taxes Here!!!

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by trancedout

Depends where you are, some of the smaller towns are very poverty-stricken, others are not. Most of suburban Des Moines (where I grew up - does have "good schools", as misleading as that phrase is). The only reason being most of the kids are middle-to-upper-middle class. The "good schools" have a very small number of lower-income minorities (sometimes white as well) who bring down test scores, parents are in jail or smoking crack (if even know their birth father), or kids on free/reduced lunch. Basically, the good schools imply the community unit is something like a present-day Mayberry. A teacher in a lower-income district has the same qualifications/degree as one at a higher-income district. "Good schools" has become this code phrase implying at least baseline middle class students.

For instance. I'm sure Calabasas & Simi Valley have good schools too (generally, with some being better than others).

Des Moines itself has schools that really aren't too different than LAUSD schools in terms of graduation rate.

Iowa also has among the highest car registration fees, a car that costs you $1,700 will cost approx. $350 to register initially.

Very, very good point. "Good schools" don't have better teachers than anywhere else, you just don't have the kids from poor, dysfunctional families that bring down the test scores.

I know this because I have taught at community colleges, with kids coming in from all different rated high schools. It mostly comes down to the parents and the values they place.

Now that I'm teaching in California, one of the many things I love about teaching here at CCs, is that athletics have been largely suspended due to budget cuts. Athletes on wasted scholarships are really the only sub-demographic that in my experience were truly poor performing.

I hope the recovering state budget and refunding of schools don't bring back entitlement minded athletes back to class.

[moonsparkle]

I'm not sure how it works with community colleges, but I'm assuming the sports aren't taken as seriously as Division 1. At that level, the student-athletes who play football/basketball are literally worth millions to the school, especially if the program is nationally ranked. I remember some of those guys at Iowa on the football team (when was a top 10 program) and it was fairly obvious someone was doing their homework or they were passed for just showing up sometimes.

Not that it matters, but Steve Alford getting hired at UCLA made a lot of Iowans mad...no surprises there.

As for schools, every middle-class suburb in America has good schools (even better when it's a "newer" suburb), I'm not sure why it's unnoticed, but it is.

[Politicalprison]

Someone's gotta pay for wars, road construction ,prisons , police (lots of police) etc....what you think Obama paying it? Well I guess he is but he is paying it with your money...do you realize that licenses fines and fees are considered taxes too? You have to pay for a dog license fee for god sake and if you don't the animal control takes your pet and puts it to sleep if you don't pick it up and pay the fee in a few days....
Don't blame me though I don't vote

[PDF]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Most states are in the 6-8% range. Most states are high in one type of tax but low in others. California is high in all of them.

Rates | Sales Tax Institute

OK maybe as far as states go, CA is the highest. But aren't there cities in the USA with sales tax higher than 9 percent?

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Goober13

Every state has its quirks.One thing is cheaper and another costs more. Our sales taxes in the Phoenix area range from 8.8 to 10.2%, with a 2% sales tax on food in several cities. Our utility bills are very high in the summer, and the water bills are so high that some people let their grass die and park on the front lawn.

Real estate costs are much cheaper, but wages are a lot less too. Our politics is corrupt and our state govt is full of Tea Partiers who want to cut everything.

I found this:

Sales Tax Rates in Major U.S. Cities | Tax Foundation

Apparently, Ariz has quite a few of the higher sales tax rates.

[moonsparkle]

Sometimes when it's by county/municipality...if you are planning on buying something expensive (big screen TV, gold chains or a Rolex) and you can find it in the next town over, all you have to do it buy it there. Or online (which could change soon).

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by PDF

OK maybe as far as states go, CA is the highest. But aren't there cities in the USA with sales tax higher than 9 percent?

Yes, including many in CA and several in LA county.

[snappers]

Originally Posted by ilovegarlic

Yeah but what about all the government workers your tax dollars need to pay to support their mortgage and retirement accounts and children's college fund. Have a heart.

Think of the children!

Think about the city leaders in places like Bell, CA, where they gave themselves outrageous salaries.