Taxes in Allegheny County, the city and surrounding areas? (Pittsburgh: for sale, 2015)

[gg]

I was wondering how much we as Allegheny County residents pay MORE in tax than surrounding counties? What about city residents? I am talking about taxes of all types if you live, play and work in Allegheny County or even worse live, work and play in the city?

City:
1. City wage taxes.
2. 1 more percent tax on purchased items like a new CAR!!!
3. 7% more on a beer or drink purchased in a restaurant.
4. Higher school tax bills
5. Higher housing tax in general

Allegheny County:
1. 1 percent more on all taxable items purchase, like a TV or Car or a hamburger.
2. 7% more on a beer or drink purchased in a restaurant.
3. Higher school taxes
4. Higher housing taxes in general.

Am I forgetting other taxes we deal with? What is more to come with PAT bus's mess and of course the school systems that are going to be in a total mess due to very high wages earned and pensions that will be paid on these wildly high earnings. What other things are lurking that I am missing. What about the city worker's pensions? Has that been fixed with the new parking meter increases, or are we in for some new tax?

[ML North]

Here are some numbers for you:

In 2011 I paid 26.60% of my gross income to the following taxes:

• Federal
• Social Security
• Medicare
• State
• Local
• Sales
• Drink Tax

I do not own any property, so my only exposure to property taxes would be embedded in my rent costs.

If, in 2011, I had lived in Westmoreland County, I would've paid 24.16% of my income to the taxes listed above. So in 2011 the cost of living in the City of Pittsburgh, for me, was 2.44% (26.60%-24.16%) of my gross income. That's roughly equal to about 6 days earnings.

Of course this isn't completely accurate because I spent money in a lot of places that have different tax rates. But those expenditures should be a relatively small percentage of the total, and living elsewhere would not likely have precluded me from incurring them, so I think that effect is relatively negligible.

[Lobick]

I'm not entirely sure that it makes sense to compare a largely urban county to its surrounding rural counties, but it could prove interesting. The way you've structured your post though will make such a comparison somewhat difficult. If you want to look county to county, I'd start by getting data from other counties instead of just listing taxes paid by Allegheny residents.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by ML North

In 2011 I paid 26.60% of my gross income to the following taxes:

• Federal
• Social Security
• Medicare
• State
• Local
• Sales
• Drink Tax

Kinda curious how you calculated the sales and drink taxes - don't tell me you actually keep records of your bar tabs??

[ML North]

Originally Posted by squarian

Kinda curious how you calculated the sales and drink taxes - don't tell me you actually keep records of your bar tabs??

I have a record of all the money I spent in "Bars and Cafes". And I've spent money on things other than poured drinks in bars and cafes, so that number is likely way overestimated. But expenditures in bars and cafes is only a fraction of the total money I spent, so the effect is (as expected) really small.

And for sales tax, yes I have a record of every dollar I spent last year. As I mentioned, some of those dollars were spent in 6% counties, or even on the internet, so that number, too, is overestimated.

But even overestimating every tax to the maximum extent, the total cost of those taxes is pretty much round-off error.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by ML North

So in 2011 the cost of living in the City of Pittsburgh, for me, was 2.44% (26.60%-24.16%) of my gross income. That's roughly equal to about 6 days earnings.

Assuming you valued your time at the average of what your employer pays you, and a 8-hour work day, that also works out to about 12 minutes worth of your time per day.

So, one question you could ask is if you are cutting your commute by at least 6 minutes by living in the City versus Westmoreland. If so, you are likely already ahead without considering other factors.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Lobick

I'm not entirely sure that it makes sense to compare a largely urban county to its surrounding rural counties, but it could prove interesting. The way you've structured your post though will make such a comparison somewhat difficult. If you want to look county to county, I'd start by getting data from other counties instead of just listing taxes paid by Allegheny residents.

No, I am interested in what people are paying over and above others in other counties. You obviously can compare them directly. Um, Cranberry was a cow pasture not that long ago. It makes complete sense to me and being the OP, I like the thread as it is. If you don't, no need to reply. Just ignore it. In other words, if you have nothing to add, why respond?

[gg]

Originally Posted by ML North

I have a record of all the money I spent in "Bars and Cafes". And I've spent money on things other than poured drinks in bars and cafes, so that number is likely way overestimated. But expenditures in bars and cafes is only a fraction of the total money I spent, so the effect is (as expected) really small.

Very impressive. Wish there was a homeowner that kept such records. It is interesting. You seem to be less effected than many would. I probably am not effected all that much other than my wild school tax bills. My heating costs are very high because I am stuck with Equitable Gas and if you are up in Butler County you might be lucky an have anyone else.

Thanks for your reply. You made it quite obvious what I was interested in when I posted this thread. Seemed you understood it, unlike Lobick.

[gg]

I was also thinking of how many people pay all these taxes and really get what in return? For the city resident, it is about as bad as it gets. Horrible road conditions with huge potholes EVERYWHERE. Don't bother having a nice car in Pittsburgh. Terrible snow removal. Horrible schools that force people to move to the suburbs. Public transit is about as bad as it gets. Total corruption in every level of government. Taxes and more taxes. That wage tax is also a killer. Goodness, what was that for? To fund some other shortfall.

Someone from Europe had a conversation with me and said, in Germany, we don't mind paying taxes. I said, yeah that is because you get what you are paying for. In the US a few fat cats make the money and the their friends get jobs with PennDot and lean on a shovel. The entire system is a mess. I really see no way out, except hire private companies to do everything. That includes mass transit, road work and really everything. These government type jobs are killing us. A drink tax, to fund those stupid pensions and they still have to cut tons of routes. Who is running the show? What a disaster.

What does one do about all this? Move to Cranberry is one out. Peters? Murrysville? Not sure? I understand why Pittsburgh has only 1/2 the people left here. That is kind of amazing we lost 1/2 of the people in the city. WOW! These taxes don't work. That is so obvious a child could understand that. What needs to be done is cut spending and more importantly cut waste that is caused by all these unions that are asking WAY too much.

[bbrian12]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I was also thinking of how many people pay all these taxes and really get what in return? For the city resident, it is about as bad as it gets. Horrible road conditions with huge potholes EVERYWHERE. Don't bother having a nice car in Pittsburgh. Terrible snow removal. Horrible schools that force people to move to the suburbs. Public transit is about as bad as it gets. Total corruption in every level of government. Taxes and more taxes. That wage tax is also a killer. Goodness, what was that for? To fund some other shortfall.

Someone from Europe had a conversation with me and said, in Germany, we don't mind paying taxes. I said, yeah that is because you get what you are paying for. In the US a few fat cats make the money and the their friends get jobs with PennDot and lean on a shovel. The entire system is a mess. I really see no way out, except hire private companies to do everything. That includes mass transit, road work and really everything. These government type jobs are killing us. A drink tax, to fund those stupid pensions and they still have to cut tons of routes. Who is running the show? What a disaster.

What does one do about all this? Move to Cranberry is one out. Peters? Murrysville? Not sure? I understand why Pittsburgh has only 1/2 the people left here. That is kind of amazing we lost 1/2 of the people in the city. WOW! These taxes don't work. That is so obvious a child could understand that. What needs to be done is cut spending and more importantly cut waste that is caused by all these unions that are asking WAY too much.

^well said!!



and dont forget about the mayor murphy tax of 52$ now the occupational privlege tax or EMS tax or whatever they call it this week. still a tax and we still dont get anything for it