Seattle or Portland? (income, sales tax, moving)

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by 5chevin5

Is the sales tax in WA on everything?

Hi, Chef. Lessee..... The basic rule is that if it's "food", it's not taxed. Well, unless you're purchasing it and putting it right into your mouth in a restaurant.
You're right that household items that are not food are indeed taxed in WA -- in King County the sales tax is now 8.8%, unless it's gone up since the last time I looked.
A can of tomato juice is food, but beer isn't food, neither is any alcoholic beverage or soft drink; plastic drinking straws aren't food; kitchen utensils aren't food; plastic zip top bags to keep food in aren't food..... you get the idea, right?

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by chiaroscuro

And if you live on the east side of washington (spokane) you can hop over to idaho and do your major shopping with no sales tax. If you don't own your home, you won't pay property taxes. So basically if you make a lot of money at your job, you are not taxed before you see it. Rent your place, and cross stateline to do major shopping, and you would pay zero taxes.

What smart thinking!! I love your idea!!

I guess it's not 'ethical' because you are living in the state and not contributing to the tax base.

Actually, I think what you're describing is quite ethical. I feel that if we were still living in small, tightly-knit communities where everyone knew everyone and participated along with everyone else in the same economy, it would be 'ethical' and necessary to keep rewards within the community. But we rarely have such conditions nowadays. So I feel that defending personal and family well-being is quite ethical and necessary.

[Blindtom]

Originally Posted by chiaroscuro

If you don't own your home, you won't pay property taxes.

You still pay the taxes indirectly. The owner of the property gets the deduction and you do not.

[chiaroscuro]

Originally Posted by Blindtom

You still pay the taxes indirectly. The owner of the property gets the deduction and you do not.

Yeah but you have to pay to live somewhere anyway, unless you want to be homeless. Anything you use really (cell phone, electricity), those parent companies pay taxes on the money you spend. I'm talking about taxes being directly deducted from you.

[vanbao]

I heard more people prefer Seattle than Portland. There are more things to do here.

The traffic? well that is another story.

[tobester]

chiarascuro -

your little 'go to idaho and not pay sales tax' is not only unethical, but also illegal. you must pay a 'use tax' on anything bought outside the state ... they enforce the law on cars (a big ticket item). If you get caught in this scheme, there are large fines.

[chiaroscuro]

Originally Posted by tobester

chiarascuro -

your little 'go to idaho and not pay sales tax' is not only unethical, but also illegal. you must pay a 'use tax' on anything bought outside the state ... they enforce the law on cars (a big ticket item). If you get caught in this scheme, there are large fines.

I'm not talking about buying a fricken' car or anything, but if you pay cash for an item such as a tv, or something that you don't pay with a credit or debit card, you're fine. As for unethical: Our government does unethical things with our money literally every day.

[vanbao]

Portland has no sales tax so I know a lot of people go there to buy TVs and other goods. However, if you buy a car, you will have to pay tax when you bring it back to WA.

[MichaelinWA]

At $4.00 a gallon for fuel, driving to Portland and back from Seattle for shopping purposes is not as attractive for tax avoiders as it used to be. Particularly if one is driving a vehicle big enough to carry a 50-inch plasma TV.

[vanbao]

Originally Posted by MichaelinWA

At $4.00 a gallon for fuel, driving to Portland and back from Seattle for shopping purposes is not as attractive for tax avoiders as it used to be. Particularly if one is driving a vehicle big enough to carry a 50-inch plasma TV.

Good point. Plus the cost to the environment. I guess there is go avoiding Uncle Sam.