TN Sales Tax & other TN info (Knoxville, Cookeville: go bankrupt, utilities)

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

Any other takers on Tax Questions?

It's been a while since we've had a good "Are there bugs or snakes in Tennessee?" question.

;-)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by alleycat

It's been a while since we've had a good "Are there bugs or snakes in Tennessee?" question.

;-)

My all-time favorite: Do you people down there have an accent?



And all of this DOES relate to taxes, because this is directed at that crew that is only interested in the tax rate.

ss20ts: You wouldn't believe how many bought a house here, only looking at it on the internet, but never sold their other house, banking on it being sold.Now they have two mortgages.

The worse, though, were the people that bought at those developments that offer free plane rides, hotel rooms and/or steaks. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of nowhere and the market crashed. Great investment, my butt.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

It's been a while since we've had a good "Are there bugs or snakes in Tennessee?" question.

;-)

For real? Don't people know there's bugs and snakes EVERYwhere? Good grief!

Someone said before that the government doesn't provide all of the same services that the North has. I'm still wondering what they are. You don't get much snow so that saves a bundle in equipment, salt, overtime, road repairs.

How does trash pick up work? Where I live it's included in my city property taxes.

How about water? Are you guys in a drought like NC and GA? I get a bill for that every quarter based on usage. It includes the sewer, too. And for some reason they tax us on the sewer for the exact amount of water usage. scratching head....it all doesn't go down the drain - lawn watering, car washing, filling up the itty bitty doggie pool, etc. Me thinks it's a money making ploy.

I need a scratching my head smiley..... isn't quite the same.....oh well...

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

My all-time favorite: Do you people down there have an accent?



And all of this DOES relate to taxes, because this is directed at that crew that is only interested in the tax rate.

ss20ts: You wouldn't believe how many bought a house here, only looking at it on the internet, but never sold their other house, banking on it being sold.Now they have two mortgages.

The worse, though, were the people that bought at those developments that offer free plane rides, hotel rooms and/or steaks. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of nowhere and the market crashed. Great investment, my butt.

Sorry a free plane ride isn't going to sell me on your house....it's going to make me run the other way. Makes me wondering what you're up to. It's like watching David Copperfield.

When we do finally move our of the tax hell, we'll be renting a house while our house sells. We have pets and traveling for work so selling while living in it would be really hard. After this house sells, THEN and ONLY then will we buy another house. Having two mortgages is just insane especially in this economic climate.

Do you have the goofy beverage tax? Here we pay a deposit on every bottled beverage. You get it back when you bring them back to the store. It's a pain! The state makes millions off of it because most people can't be bothered. And the state is quick to say it's not a tax....yeah my left foot!

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

For real? Don't people know there's bugs and snakes EVERYwhere? Good grief!

Someone said before that the government doesn't provide all of the same services that the North has. I'm still wondering what they are. You don't get much snow so that saves a bundle in equipment, salt, overtime, road repairs.

How does trash pick up work? Where I live it's included in my city property taxes.

How about water? Are you guys in a drought like NC and GA? I get a bill for that every quarter based on usage. It includes the sewer, too. And for some reason they tax us on the sewer for the exact amount of water usage. scratching head....it all doesn't go down the drain - lawn watering, car washing, filling up the itty bitty doggie pool, etc. Me thinks it's a money making ploy.

I need a scratching my head smiley..... isn't quite the same.....oh well...

A lot of the answers to your questions would depend on exactly where someone lives. I'll explain it for Nashville, which is a little more complex than other cities because Nashville has a combined city/country form of government, and why the official name is Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County (often shorten to Metro).

The entire state of Tennessee is officially now out of a drought. I think the extreme east of the state is still short of rainfall, but not in the drought category.

In Nashville, there are two government districts: the Urban Services District and the General Services District. In the USD trash is picked up by the city. In the GSD homeowners have to have to hire a private pickup service (the costs varies from about $15 to $20 a month).

Nashville is actually good about salting the road. Thankfully we don't need it as much as cities further north.

Most people in Nashville are served by the Nashville Water Department, but not all. For example, I live in Bellevue on the west side of the county and my water utility is Harpeth Valley. They recently increased my water/sewer bill; it was $13 for many years, now it's $18. I don't have a family except for a cat, so mine is more or less the minimum bill. Metro Water rates are higher. I hear difference things about what people pay; anywhere from $25 to $60 a month. Here, most utilities adjust the sewer rates in the summer to take into account that folks are watering their lawns and that sort of thing.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

Sorry a free plane ride isn't going to sell me on your house....it's going to make me run the other way. Makes me wondering what you're up to. It's like watching David Copperfield.

When we do finally move our of the tax hell, we'll be renting a house while our house sells. We have pets and traveling for work so selling while living in it would be really hard. After this house sells, THEN and ONLY then will we buy another house. Having two mortgages is just insane especially in this economic climate.

Do you have the goofy beverage tax? Here we pay a deposit on every bottled beverage. You get it back when you bring them back to the store. It's a pain! The state makes millions off of it because most people can't be bothered. And the state is quick to say it's not a tax....yeah my left foot!

I like the bottle bill. We had it in Mass., and quite frankly, the roads were a lot cleaner.

There are some days that I love living in Tennessee, can't imagine living anywhere else, and there are other days that I dearly miss the northeast.

When it comes down to it, you take yourself wherever you go, people are really the same, whether they seem different at first or not, and nothing is for free. They'll get you one way or another.

Oh, except for Florida. All bets are off over there. I'd rather be dead than go back there.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I like the bottle bill. We had it in Mass., and quite frankly, the roads were a lot cleaner.

The roads are FAR from clean! They only pick up the trash once a year. I can ALWAYS tell when I drive South and cross the Mason Dixon Line. The roads are a million times better! The condition is so much better. And they are CLEAN.

First time I was ever in a Wal-Mart in the South, I was amazed at how CLEAN and orderly it was. You have to walk over things in all of our stores all day and night. They are pig sties.

I don't know if it's a pride thing or people just aren't slobs down there, but it is VERY noticeable when you change regions. People just through things out of their moving vehicles here like it's their right. I have to pick up other people's trash from my front yard at least once a week. It's gross.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

Do you have the goofy beverage tax? Here we pay a deposit on every bottled beverage. You get it back when you bring them back to the store. It's a pain! The state makes millions off of it because most people can't be bothered. And the state is quick to say it's not a tax....yeah my left foot!

We don't yet.

I saw an interactive map the other day that showed every state's tax on cigarettes, beer, sales, and gas. As expected, Tennessee was in the highest category for sales tax. I was surprised that Tennessee was low or fairly low in the other categories (considering we don't have an wage income tax). California was high in all categories, and NY wasn't far behind, if I remember correctly. I can find the map if you're interested.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by alleycat

A lot of the answers to your questions would depend on exactly where someone lives. I'll explain it for Nashville, which is a little more complex than other cities because Nashville has a combined city/country form of government, and why the official name is Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County (often shorten to Metro).

The entire state of Tennessee is officially now out of a drought. I think the extreme east of the state is still short of rainfall, but not in the drought category.

In Nashville, there are two government districts: the Urban Services District and the General Services District. In the USD trash is picked up by the city. In the GSD homeowners have to have to hire a private pickup service (the costs varies from about $15 to $20 a month).

Nashville is actually good about salting the road. Thankfully we don't need it as much as cities further north.

Most people in Nashville are served by the Nashville Water Department, but not all. For example, I live in Bellevue on the west side of the county and my water utility is Harpeth Valley. They recently increased my water/sewer bill; it was $13 for many years, now it's $18. I don't have a family except for a cat, so mine is more or less the minimum bill. Metro Water rates are higher. I hear difference things about what people pay; anywhere from $25 to $60 a month. Here, most utilities adjust the sewer rates in the summer to take into account that folks are watering their lawns and that sort of thing.

This is perfect! We are looking at the Nashville area as a possible relocation in the next year or so. I'm trying to found out as much info as I can before I visit. Some cities I've looked into in other states are beautiful on their websites and you get there and they are complete ghettos. I think the pics they use are from 1950 back when the mills were still running.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

I don't know if it's a pride thing or people just aren't slobs down there, but it is VERY noticeable when you change regions. People just through things out of their moving vehicles here like it's their right. I have to pick up other people's trash from my front yard at least once a week. It's gross.

Unfortunately, we have a few people that still do that here too. It's worse along some rural roads.

As someone mentioned, there is an "adopt a road" program in Tennessee. A group will "adopt" a road and ever so often go out and pick up the trash along the road.

Funny, my pretend "Uncle Bill" worked for the Montgomery County Highway Department for 47 years . . . the road in front of my mother's house was adopted by the county Highway Department itself. Wonder how that happened? :-)