Raise in Sales Tax (Huntsville, Madison: home, best schools, university)

[Southlander]

Madison's been 9% for a while, hasn't it? We've had 9% in Decatur for a few years.
Huntsville is 8%...as is Hartselle, where a lot of Decatur residents go for the WalMart. Moulton may still be 7%, but it's a little far to drive for cheap sales tax.

Could be worse. Tuscaloosa and Birmingham are 10%...including Summit, Galleria, and Leeds, where the outlet mall and Bass Pro Shop is located. No bargains there!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by FAL50

When I left Belgium for the US in 1990, sales tax in Belgium was 25% for everything.
Except for a car with an engine above 3.0 liter, it was 33%.
Now with the euro disaster, they had to bring it down to 19.25%, but they added just a few extra little taxes so it is again 25%.

But do you pay income tax in Belgium? Was it a "flat tax rate"?

[FAL50]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

But do you pay income tax in Belgium? Was it a "flat tax rate"?

Belgium has the 3th highest income tax worldwide.
No flat tax rate.
Paying 60 to 75% income tax for small hard working business owners in normal. I have the experience.

You want to have a yard sale, you pay a tax to be allowed to do that. That's why nobody does it, the tax is higher then the profits you can make.
You want to hang a for sale sign in the window of your car for sale, you pay a tax for that.

I look at it this way, Belgium is tax hell, the US for me is tax heaven compared to Belgium.

[MisterEd51]

Originally Posted by FAL50

Belgium has the 3th highest income tax worldwide.
No flat tax rate.
Paying 60 to 75% income tax for small hard working business owners in normal. I have the experience.

You want to have a yard sale, you pay a tax to be allowed to do that. That's why nobody does it, the tax is higher then the profits you can make.
You want to hang a for sale sign in the window of your car for sale, you pay a tax for that.

I look at it this way, Belgium is tax hell, the US for me is tax heaven compared to Belgium.

The high taxes in Belgium paid for a good health care system didn't they?

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

The high taxes in Belgium paid for a good health care system didn't they?

A glimspe of what the U.S. could become?

[Reactionary]

Well, Prime Minister Di Rupo of Belgium is a member of the Parti Socialiste (French-speaking socialists)...

Time will tell if the Belgians can continue their social programs with the influx 'new Belgians' (25% of the population is not of Belgian origin). Also, they're going broke:

Belgium will cut spending, raise taxes and sell state assets as part of a 2013 budget deal that aims to reduce debt to 100 percent of gross domestic product, the government said.

The budget will reduce the deficit to 2.46 percent of GDP, including a structural shortfall of 1.8 percent, the government said today in Brussels.

So of course they want to raise taxes:

The Belgian Parliament will need to approve proposed tax measures...

Tax measures like raising taxes on cigarettes and corporations...

Belgian 2013 Budget Deal to Shrink Deficit, Lower Debt - Bloomberg

Also note that they're freaking out with about a 1:1 debt to GDP ratio. The USA has a 1:1 debt to GDP ratio now - not including national health care.

Things that can't last, won't.

[FAL50]

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

The high taxes in Belgium paid for a good health care system didn't they?

The taxes that I talk about are only taxes.
The contribution the the national health care system and retirement is not included in that and is separate.

And a "good health care system" I would not call it that way.
My mother still lives there, she had a hip replacement after an accident in 1985, and need that same hip replaced again.
The answer of the health department is a NO, because she is to old, she's 90.
A woman I grew up with, she's 69 now, need a need knee, answer is the same, NO, because to old.

Self employed people pay more into the system versus employees but get lesser benefits and lesser retirement.

[Reactionary]

FAL50 - thank you for sharing your insights with us - many people need to hear what you have to say.

[harry chickpea]

The anesthesia at age 90 could cause a cascade of other problems with dementia, so I don't find that "no" response unusual. 69 is way too early to be saying "no" though.

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by elephant08

You mean the new walmart? I looked at my receipt and it says Madison.. but the tax was not 9.... odd...I've done a lot of business in Huntsville since we've moved here; I did walk up to the Mayor (at the polls) and let him know that I did most of my shopping in Orlando when I visit my folks. 6%, I'll take it. At least it's not 11% like it is down in AL.... my friend told me that and I went into shock.

There are lots of areas that fall in the Madison 35758 and 35757 zip codes and therefore have Madison addresses that are actually in the City of Huntsville or within no city at all.

http://maps.madisonal.gov/MadisonInteractiveMaps/