by Lou Binninger
Ronald Reagan liked to say, “The taxpayer – that’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take the civil service examination.” Americans once revolted over taxes but now pay them on every move they make. Many citizens are losing more than 50% of their income to the government.
When the federal income tax was introduced in 1913 a little more than 100 years ago, most Americans were taxed at a rate of only 1 percent. Then, Tax Freedom Day was on January 22. In 2017, it was April 23rd. Tax Freedom Day is the first day of the year in which the nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to pay its taxes.
Just over 75 years ago the instructions for Form 1040 were two pages long. In 2014, it took 189 pages.
In 2011, Wheatland’s Bartholomew brothers were arrested on the Erle Road overpass while holding a banner saying ‘Taxes Are Theft.’ They were correct, were arrested and lost their case in Yuba County court. That’s the wrong message when you aren’t in charge.
Politicians and bureaucrats get themselves into financial trouble then insist taxpayers are stingy. Below are 97 various taxes, fees, tolls and charges the public pays. Not every person pays every tax. Yet despite all of these funding streams, local, state and federal governments are all drowning in debt. Hold that thought.
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association says, “Local governments ... like to play budgetary shell games in which they place a sales tax measure on the ballot to fund a politically popular purpose, and if the tax passes, it would enable the local government to free up money from the general fund that can then be spent on the pet projects or programs of local politicians.”
This is exactly what the Marysville did and what Yuba County bureaucrats plan to do. In these cases the popular bait is police and fire. Circle which taxes you have paid below.
Air Transportation, Biodiesel Fuel, Building Permit, Business Registration, Capital Gains, Cigarette, Court Fines (indirect taxes), Disposal Fees, Dog License, Drivers’ License Fees, Employer Health Mandate, Employer Medicare, Employer Social Security, Environmental Fees, Estate, Excise - Health Insurance, Federal Corporate, Federal Income, Federal Unemployment, Fishing License, Flush Taxes, Food And Beverage License, Franchise Business, Garbage, Gasoline, Gift, Gun Ownership Permits, Hazardous Material Disposal Fees, Highway Access Fees, Hotel, Hunting License, Import Taxes, Individual Health Insurance Mandate, Inheritance, Insect Control Hazardous Materials Licenses, Inspection Fees, Insurance Premium Taxes, Interstate User Diesel Fuel, Inventory, IRA Early Withdrawal, IRS Interest Charges, IRS Penalties, Library Taxes, License Plate Fees, Liquor, Local Corporate Taxes, Local Income, Local School, Local Unemployment, Luxury, Marriage License, Medicare, Medicare Tax Surcharge Obamacare, Obamacare Individual Mandate Penalty, Obamacare Surtax On Investment Income, Parking Meters, Passport Fees, Professional Licenses / Fees, Property, Real Estate, Recreational Vehicle, Registration Fees - New Businesses, Toll Booth, Sales, Self-Employment, Sewer and Water, School, Septic Permit, Service Charge, Social Security, Special Assessments - Road Repairs, Sports Stadium, State Corporate, State Income, State Park Fees, State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA), Tanning Taxes, Telephone 911 Service, Telephone Federal Excise, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge, Telephone State And Local, Telephone Universal Access, The Alternative Minimum, Tire Recycling Fees, Tire Taxes, Tolls, Traffic Fines, Use Taxes, Utility, Vehicle Registration, Waste Management, Water Rights Fees, Watercraft Registration and Licensing, Well Permit, Workers Compensation, Zoning Permit.
Whether Yuba County citizens like their government or not it is unaffordable.