High Sales Tax (Cookeville: low income, insurance, home)

[gemkeeper]

Amen, to all of the posters concerning your dislike of TN's high sales tax, Momma123.

If you do all of the tax comparisons as previously suggested, you will find that you will still come out much better off in TN than you will in most other states.

Unfortunately, single comparison charts such as the one you saw on fairtaxation.org does not give you a really "fair" representation of how much your taxes will be from one area of the country to the next.

They have not taken into account the lower property taxes, no state income tax, and various service taxes and surcharges that many states impose. Once you do the math, as hubby and I did, you will see that you will probably come out ahead in the tax department year after year.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

It's all relative!!!

I agree with PP's and would like to add another thought. Groceries here are pretty cheap compared to other parts of the country. Just this week I was able to buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.79/lb. You can NOT get that in lots of other areas. That is just one example. We keep a garden, I recently started baking all of our own bread, I use coupons and dealios.

While I like to give business to the local stores, I admit to my fair share of online shopping where I do not pay taxes at all. There are ways of "working it", but all in all I think Tennessee is a great place to live, even with the high sales tax.

I agree! Shhhh don't tell anyone but I just bought 20 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.29 a pound!...and it was in VA..no sales tax hehehee. Yea, I am bad but I love to share when I find such a great deal.
I used to live and was a home owner in FL......even with the higher sales tax, my families money goes MUCH further in TN. We have a better quality of life way beyond what I can explain and a lot of that has to do with not stressing 12 months a year about getting by due to high cost of living. Here we live. So yea, I am happy with the high sales tax.

[Turkey Creek Tom]

Originally Posted by JMT

I, for one, am grateful to be living in a state where I choose how much I pay in taxes. The beauty of a sales tax is that I get to decide how much taxes I pay. If I don't want to pay the sales tax on a $15,000 car, I don't have to buy a $15,000 car, I can buy a $14,000 car or a $10,000 car. If I don't want to pay the sales tax on a $3 loaf of bread, I can buy a $2 loaf of bread. Or I can make my own bread.

Once the government takes money from my paycheck, all freedom is lost. I can't give myself a pay raise to offset the taxed income.

So thank you for pointing out yet another reason many of us freedom-loving Americans enjoy living in Tennessee.

Thank you JMT ~ I often hear people talk about Tennessee's high sales tax.
I would much rather pay that than all the other taxes.
I think the sales tax is the fairest of all. It taxes you for spending...while the awful income tax that thankfully Tennessee does not have...taxes you for earning. Give me TENNESSEE and the SALES TAX over the other STATES INCOME AND OTHER TAXES.

[supernerdgirl]

high sales tax on everything else, fine, but I don't think there should be such a high one on food. When I lived in Maury County everything was 9.25% or if it met the special "food rules" (whatever those are) it was 8.25% - whoo! what a break!... in Chicago on groceries AND drugs, it's only 2% - what a difference. I almost couldn't believe the receipt the first time I went grocery shopping here. yes, if you own property, and a car, etc, of course you feel like you're being taxed to death... but I don't have either, yet I buy FOOD all the time.

perhaps they could drop it on food some. there's a huge difference between buying a car and buying bread, milk and eggs. then again I know how militantly people in Tennessee are against a state income tax. or, you know, the entire state could move to Spring Hill, where they don't have a property tax at all (very future-oriented, i say ), then it would all even out, haha.

[bbkaren]

ok but keep in mind...income tax is on every dime you make! Even the money that you use for paying your rent and bills (most of which have additional taxes on them already...PLUS the income tax).

[1nicecouple]

Originally Posted by JMT

I, for one, am grateful to be living in a state where I choose how much I pay in taxes. The beauty of a sales tax is that I get to decide how much taxes I pay. If I don't want to pay the sales tax on a $15,000 car, I don't have to buy a $15,000 car, I can buy a $14,000 car or a $10,000 car. If I don't want to pay the sales tax on a $3 loaf of bread, I can buy a $2 loaf of bread. Or I can make my own bread.

Once the government takes money from my paycheck, all freedom is lost. I can't give myself a pay raise to offset the taxed income.

So thank you for pointing out yet another reason many of us freedom-loving Americans enjoy living in Tennessee.

Agreed, I prefer That as well.

[younglisa7]

Let's see. My Tn property tax for 11 acres is $375.00 per year. My groceries are about $100.00 per week with 8.5% sales tax. I pay about $440.00 per year on sales tax for groceries.

In Fl I didn't have sales tax on groceries but my property taxes on a postage stamp size lot was $4500.00 per year and that doesn't include insurance. You do the math. TN is much better.

Lisa

[Lake.Lady]

In Arizona we paid $2,000 a year for our motorhome registration, here it's $85! That alone more than makes up any difference in sales tax. Then there are our cars and boats to register.......and property taxes are cheaper, car insurance is cheaper and no income tax. Not only do we save money living here, but it's BEAUTIFUL here with the friendliest people I've ever met. I couldn't imagine living anywhere but here.

[CookevilleWeatherGuy]

Originally Posted by Lake.Lady

In Arizona we paid $2,000 a year for our motorhome registration, here it's $85! That alone more than makes up any difference in sales tax. Then there are our cars and boats to register.......and property taxes are cheaper, car insurance is cheaper and no income tax. Not only do we save money living here, but it's BEAUTIFUL here with the friendliest people I've ever met. I couldn't imagine living anywhere but here.

AMEN! ...I 100% agree with you.

[tntim]

I believe that most people that complain about the sales tax in TN are the ones who pay little if any federal income tax, and there for would pay little or no state income tax. You just can’t get out of paying sales tax other than limiting what you buy.