Taxman, Mr. Mistele...
Under normal circumstances, I think about taxes about as often as I think about, oh, I don't know, maybe marionnettes. In other words, not very often.
But, this year....grrrr.
I have the distinct pleasure* of living in Cook County, Illinois, proud home of the highest sales tax rate in the country, due to a recent raise in the sales tax, to cover a gaping hole in the county budget (because, apparently, raising the sales tax made more sense than laying off some of the County Commissioner's family members and friends who are making six-figure salaries). And, they cranked up the property tax last year (though, apparently, not as much as they had wanted to).
Then, I was doing the income taxes last weekend. Normally, we get a nice little refund; this year, for whatever reason (I'm guessing the school where the Lovely Bride works didn't withhold enough, but I'm not sure), we owe some. :-P
I was at Taco Bell yesterday, buying lunch, when I happened to look at my receipt, and I realized I was paying more than 10% in sales tax (10.4%, when I did the math). Since I have breakfast and lunch at the office most days, I starterd doing some number crunching:
- Assuming 45 weeks in the office a year (accounting for vacation and being out of the office on business trips)
- Assuming about $11 spent a day, between breakfast and lunch
...it works out that I'm paying about $250 a year, just in sales tax on my breakfast and lunch!
I'm generally not opposed to taxes; I understand that they're a necessary evil to keep society functioning. I guess I'd feel a little less cranky about this if I didn't feel like so much of the taxes I'm paying is going for:
- Patronage jobs
- Sweet contracts for connected people
- A fool's errand that's become a quagmire in Iraq
* - and yes, this is a non-standard use of the word "pleasure"
But, this year....grrrr.
I have the distinct pleasure* of living in Cook County, Illinois, proud home of the highest sales tax rate in the country, due to a recent raise in the sales tax, to cover a gaping hole in the county budget (because, apparently, raising the sales tax made more sense than laying off some of the County Commissioner's family members and friends who are making six-figure salaries). And, they cranked up the property tax last year (though, apparently, not as much as they had wanted to).
Then, I was doing the income taxes last weekend. Normally, we get a nice little refund; this year, for whatever reason (I'm guessing the school where the Lovely Bride works didn't withhold enough, but I'm not sure), we owe some. :-P
I was at Taco Bell yesterday, buying lunch, when I happened to look at my receipt, and I realized I was paying more than 10% in sales tax (10.4%, when I did the math). Since I have breakfast and lunch at the office most days, I starterd doing some number crunching:
- Assuming 45 weeks in the office a year (accounting for vacation and being out of the office on business trips)
- Assuming about $11 spent a day, between breakfast and lunch
...it works out that I'm paying about $250 a year, just in sales tax on my breakfast and lunch!
I'm generally not opposed to taxes; I understand that they're a necessary evil to keep society functioning. I guess I'd feel a little less cranky about this if I didn't feel like so much of the taxes I'm paying is going for:
- Patronage jobs
- Sweet contracts for connected people
- A fool's errand that's become a quagmire in Iraq
* - and yes, this is a non-standard use of the word "pleasure"