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NYC has one of the highest rates, 8.875%, but we have completely different realities, tax structure, and cost of living.
Oh, so it's a "do as I say, not do as I do", right?
Sorry, OP, but if you don't want to pay sales tax on prepared food or restaurant meals then buy the stuff to make your lunch at home and bring it to work.
Oh, so it's a "do as I say, not do as I do", right?
No, its the fact that living in NYC is different. NYC gets 60 million tourists per year, including a lot of internationals. They buy stuff and eat out at our restaurants, so our sales tax better be high, to capture those tourist dollars for the local economy. Additionally, all the NJ malls 10 minute ride from Manhattan are in Special Enterprise Zones and they have no sales tax at all (there is a 3.5% sales tax on some goods, but for example clothing and shoes have 0% sales tax). This is done so that the tax burden is shifted on the tourists (after all this is the only tax tourists pay), while the locals get the benefit of lower taxes.
Another trade off is that NYC gets to have extremely low property taxes (lowest in the whole state).
This is completely different for places upstate, where normal people live and shop and the local municipalities tax their own people 8+% sales tax...
No, its the fact that living in NYC is different. NYC gets 60 million tourists per year, including a lot of internationals. They buy stuff and eat out at our restaurants, so our sales tax better be high, to capture those tourist dollars for the local economy. Additionally, all the NJ malls 10 minute ride from Manhattan are in Special Enterprise Zones and they have no sales tax at all (there is a 3.5% sales tax on some goods, but for example clothing and shoes have 0% sales tax). This is done so that the tax burden is shifted on the tourists (after all this is the only tax tourists pay), while the locals get the benefit of lower taxes.
Another trade off is that NYC gets to have extremely low property taxes (lowest in the whole state).
This is completely different for places upstate, where normal people live and shop and the local municipalities tax their own people 8+% sales tax...
A lot of Canadian shoppers actually shop at many Upstate NY shopping malls/centers, especially when their dollar is stronger and you get some tourism as well. There are different dynamics involves in terms of the number of tourists, the type of tourism and where they come from, but there are some benefits being reaped in Upstate as well. I think that is why you are seeing more investment in tourism via casinos, making the State Fair a year round facility and expansions of shopping centers. There has also been more I Love NY ads that focus more on Upstate attractions as well.
A lot of Canadian shoppers actually shop at many Upstate NY shopping malls/centers, especially when their dollar is stronger and you get some tourism as well. There are different dynamics involves in terms of the number of tourists, the type of tourism and where they come from, but there are some benefits being reaped in Upstate as well. I think that is why you are seeing more investment in tourism via casinos, making the State Fair a year round facility and expansions of shopping centers. There has also been more I Love NY ads that focus more on Upstate attractions as well.
Canadians don't drive far inland to shop. They just visit the border counties like Niagara Falls/Buffalo area.
Canadians don't drive far inland to shop. They just visit the border counties like Niagara Falls/Buffalo area.
Many actually go to places like DestinyUSA in Syracuse, the Waterloo Outlet, Salmon Run Mall in Watertown and to many other shopping centers in many parts of Upstate NY. It isn't uncommon to see Ontario and to a lesser degree, Quebec license plates in the Northern suburbs of Syracuse. So, they do come further inland.
Guess what? Nobody likes the particular taxes they pay. In Hawaii we pay tax on groceries AND takeout, so consider yourself lucky to live in NY or move to Hawaii.
NO state should charge taxes on ANY food regardless of if it is bought in a grocery store or restaurant. The government has enough money and should stop giving away billions in "foreign aid" to countries that hate us and give it to states and local government so they don't have to charge us taxes on food.
Pretty sure that the prepared food tax in NYS goes back to the 70s. Seems like I remember it being called the "Hotdog Tax" back when it started.
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