[stevep111]

According to CNN States are raising taxes on businesses to recover unemployment benefits and in some places like Florida it is going to be dramatic.

The article states that Florida will raise it's minimum payroll tax to $100.30 per employee this year, up from $8.40. About half of the state's employers pay the minimum. The state also raised the taxable wage base to $8,500, from $7,000.

This means those who are sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right job to come along or will not take a job that "Americans refuse to do" might feel the pressure from law makers and the general population to get a job and not suck off of the tax payers anymore.

Even in this bad economy there are jobs for those who want them. They may not pay much but at least it stops adding to the problem which will be passed down to the tax payers.

I think rules should be enacted so that people have to be more active in the job search rather than just showing up to get a check and giving lip service as to how things are going. I mean this is another example of how people do not think about some getting a free ride hurts tax payers. Kind of like smoking pot is a victimless crime. Yeah right.

If you want to read the article, here is the link.

Companies paying more in unemployment taxes - Feb. 9, 2010

[TootsieWootsie]

This morning on CNN's Squawk Box something was said about taxes rising in Florida, but I didn't catch it as I was out of the room most of the time. Wonder if there is more about taxes rising than this now?

[**NoodLes**]

Oh yes the wonderful state of Floriduhh, will they ever learn? This is honestly the most jacked up place I've ever lived. When things seem to be getting "normal", they always find a way to screw it up. This "law" will only put more businesses out of business, and believe me people will not be pressured into getting a job at all. Remember all the years you had a job, SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE was collecting unemployment. If you've been paying into the system, then GET YOURS! Florida jobs suck anyway.

[MovedfromFL]

I'm pretty sure FL lawmakers have put that plan on hold. The problem is it would have required drastic increases in the unemployment tax that businesses pay. This is needed because the fund is GONE and FL has been borrowing from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits since last year. The lawmakers have decided that it is better to keep borrowing from the feds than to increase taxes on FL businesses right now.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by MovedfromFL

This is needed because the fund is GONE and FL has been borrowing from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits since last year. The lawmakers have decided that it is better to keep borrowing from the feds than to increase taxes on FL businesses right now.

This. They underfunded that account for a decade or more because they thought that, hey, 5% or less unemployment would last forever so they could get away with it even though it was a really bad policy decision.

And then y'all know what happened.

It's interesting how state government can actually be quite good with some fiscal/financial responsibilities and so horrible in other somewhat similar areas.