State Budget Crisis Coming in Ohio (Columbus: sales, house, buy)

[Bowie]

The Columbus Dispatch : Cabinet told to look for ways to cut back

Sounds like the governor and general assembly will be forced to pick between the difficult choices of cutting state services or raising taxes.

[BuckeyezRule]

Hmmmm, Utah has a big surplus this year. Most is going to the schools. I could think of a ton of services I'd slash in Ohio (or any state for that matter) , but I'm sure I'd be flamed for saying what ones. LOL Property taxes are insane in Ohio compared to some other states. My house is twice as expensive in Utah, & my property taxes are 1/2 of what they were in Ohio, & our schools are better, & we don't have a lottery out here (wish we did! LOL) . Something isn't right w/ that. We have bad, just like any other state, but, some states must make poorer decisions than others. I don't know.

[unusualfire]

^ but you have to take into account that Ohio don't charge sales tax for food.

[Stephan_K]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

^ but you have to take into account that Ohio don't charge sales tax for food.

What difference does that make?

In a nutshell only 2 states tax food for "home use" fully. The handful of other ones that do tax food for the same, they offer incentives and rebates to offset the tax. Ends up being a wash........

OH gov just doesn't know how to manage funds......period. Pretty much like most of the gov agencies in this country. But there are exceptions ! Some state and local gov's got it goin on . Too bad OH ain't one of them.

[BuckeyezRule]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

^ but you have to take into account that Ohio don't charge sales tax for food.

You are VERY correct, how could I have forgotten that?! It was made such a 'big deal' of last year when Utah slashed the food sales tax from 6.8 to 4.8. I was like 'big whoop!', it's NOTHING in Ohio. Along w/ food to go. No tax. Out here, there is tax. Thanks for reminding me of the little things that add up.

[BuckeyezRule]

Originally Posted by Stephan_K

What difference does that make?

In a nutshell only 2 states tax food for "home use" fully. The handful of other ones that do tax food for the same, they offer incentives and rebates to offset the tax. Ends up being a wash........

OH gov just doesn't know how to manage funds......period. Pretty much like most of the gov agencies in this country. But there are exceptions ! Some state and local gov's got it goin on . Too bad OH ain't one of them.

I've only lived in Ohio & Utah, but Utah DOES charge sales tax on food, & it does add up. Maybe that is one of that states that does???? I know WV & PA charge a tax on food in the drive through. I'm pretty sure WV charges tax on food no matter what. Maybe our incentive out here is lower property taxes???

[Stephan_K]

Originally Posted by BuckeyezRule

I've only lived in Ohio & Utah, but Utah DOES charge sales tax on food, & it does add up. Maybe that is one of that states that does???? I know WV & PA charge a tax on food in the drive through. I'm pretty sure WV charges tax on food no matter what. Maybe our incentive out here is lower property taxes???

This will shed some light on it. Which States Tax the Sale of Food for Home Consumption in 2007?, revised 10/31/07

Last time I checked, OH was the 4th highest taxed state in the country overall as well. They just choose to collect it differently as food is not one of those ways. There is no advantage what so ever to having untaxed food in OH. It's just an illusion as far as I'm concerned.

Idaho's overall tax rate is almost a third less than OH.......When you think about it, really how bad is the food tax you pay? That "grass is greener" thing comes to mind .

[unusualfire]

Originally Posted by Stephan_K

This will shed some light on it. Which States Tax the Sale of Food for Home Consumption in 2007?, revised 10/31/07

Last time I checked, OH was the 4th highest taxed state in the country overall as well. They just choose to collect it differently as food is not one of those ways. There is no advantage what so ever to having untaxed food in OH. It's just an illusion as far as I'm concerned.

Idaho's overall tax rate is almost a third less than OH.......When you think about it, really how bad is the food tax you pay? That "grass is greener" thing comes to mind .

Well to consider you buy food over the year more than anything. It adds up a bit.

[Stephan_K]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

Well to consider you buy food over the year more than anything. It adds up a bit.

What exactly does that mean? I don't think you understand.

Just because you do not pay tax on food does not mean that you are saving anything. In OH, you are being taxed in different ways that DO ADD UP. No tax on food is just an illusion that most people buy into thinking that they are getting a deal from the state. And the Gov's depend on these illusions and the stupidity of society.

You may not get nickle and dimmed at the grocery store with tax every time you visit but you better save as if you were and then some because you get whacked in property tax and income tax every year worse than almost every other state! What kind of deal is that??? Oh ya, I saved $600 - $800 in tax on food this year but I paid $3K more in property tax than just about every other state. What a great deal ! Not to mention the additional income tax that adds to the already great deal too............. Can't wait to save money at the grocery store tomorrow .

It's a relative situation I guess. Pay the state now or pay the state later....... but either way you will pay the state if you want to live in OH, and more than you would in every other one. Excellent illusion !

[Traveler87]

I wonder how this will affect the other states too. I mean you have to realize the country is about ready to hit a recession here. You look at the other nations around the world taking some 7% drops in their markets, then the U.S. took a big slide too. This could be a world-wide recession. I think we can be looking at many other states hitting a crisis, if they haven't already (Michigan).