Grocery Tax (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale: attorney, income, taxes)

[typhoidmary]

I wonder if something like a value added tax (VAT) would be more acceptable to people? Here (Turkey), things like flour, produce, raw meat etc have no tax, minimally processed foods (bread, cheese, etc) are at 5.75% and processed foods/products are at 18%. This way if people don't want to pay taxes they do not have to and it is a simple exchange of money for convenience. Of course the % would have to be lower in the US, I can not see an 18% on anything over there going over well

[marmac]

A person can't survive without 3 necessities------air,water,and food.

No form of government should have the right to put a tax on those three necessities of life.

Shame on those that do !

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by emilybh

We pay 7.5% here in Charleston, SC. on food. Count yourselves lucky you only pay 2%

Shesh. South Carolina doesn't grow anything? If it is because there is no more space, why are there no vertical farms yet? 7.5% per person on food would easily build them around the state..

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by typhoidmary

I wonder if something like a value added tax (VAT) would be more acceptable to people? Here (Turkey), things like flour, produce, raw meat etc have no tax, minimally processed foods (bread, cheese, etc) are at 5.75% and processed foods/products are at 18%. This way if people don't want to pay taxes they do not have to and it is a simple exchange of money for convenience. Of course the % would have to be lower in the US, I can not see an 18% on anything over there going over well

We pay tax on a sandwich that is made in the grocery store, but if we purchase the fixin's and make the sandwich ourselves, there's no tax.

This grocery tax is a cash cow for our greedy overfed government.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

It is because it is just me. I also buy whatever is on sale for the week at either Smith's or Albertsons. My friend has a family of six, and he tells me he spends approximately $150 a week on groceries. For him it would be $3 a week for an increase of $12 a month. That is still not very substantial IMO.

Then step up to the plate and pay his grocery tax. Seein' how it's not very substantial.......

[YAZ]

Something to think about:

Food prices don't always remain stable. Consider gas prices. When the cost of fuel goes up, the cost of groceries also goes up. Hence, the tax also goes up.

A regressive tax, indeed.

[homlish560]

A few Cents more on your Potato Chips, Twinkies, or Pepsi - big freakin' deal!!!!!!

Do you want to see less Police on the streets, longer response times for Fire calls or 911 emergencies?????? How about Street repair - do you want smooth Streets or more Pot-holes?

The choice is yours - either reach in your tight pockets and dole out a few more Pennies or risk losing all the Services we take for granted.

[typhoidmary]

Originally Posted by YAZ

We pay tax on a sandwich that is made in the grocery store, but if we purchase the fixin's and make the sandwich ourselves, there's no tax.

This grocery tax is a cash cow for our greedy overfed government.

This is why I like VAT and do not mind paying through the nose for prepared food. I don't mind taxes, per se, but I prefer the ones where my choices dictate whether I pay them. This is kind of why I'd like to see a head tax on school kids and toll roads. User-fee systems work for me

[azjack]

"The choice is yours - either reach in your tight pockets and dole out a few more Pennies or risk losing all the Services we take for granted."

Those are the scare tactics that I referred to earlier. There could not possibly be any other options between these taxes and anarchy on every street corner.
Heck, the Phoenix City Hall and Muni Court buildings are fancier than the Louvre.

[West Phx Native]

to those that say it is ONLY a few bucks a month think of this. That is a few bucks that is taken from the taxpayer with no say of where it goes, or what it is used on. Think about how much money you would have if sales taxes or property taxes were removed. Could you use a couple of thousand dollars extra a year ? What would you do what much extra ?
fine it is only 2%, but there are alot of 2%s out there, it is a death of a thousand cuts............