Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsuvoi
Taxes are high in the US. Do you own real property in SE PA? If you do, you know taxes are high. Come on. I don't think you'll see a lot of people paying 20k a year in tax for a single family house in Europe. I know, I've lived in both places.
When you consider the big picture, we actually pay a fair amount of taxes in the US. A lot of it is local.
You need to look elsewhere for why the national debt is so high... *cough*war*cough*army*cough* but this is a taboo topic around here.
|
I'm not saying taxes are "low". Just that they aren't levied in such a way that they'll support the infrastructure. We've enjoyed just about the cheapest fuel in the civilized world for decades. Registration costs are pretty much inconsequential. The current method of trying to fund the necessary maintenance and repairs from the general fund isn't doing the trick. I personally would not mind paying a bit more if I knew every penny I kicked in was going to be funneled directly back into the road system.
I personally like the methods that either tax based on actual usage, engine displacement or other objective means that have a more or less linear correlation to "consumption" of the highways and byways. Our attempts to levy higher taxes on those causing the most harm in the US, heavy trucks, has backfired since now EVERY citizen has to pay a damn premium regardless of weight class. Diesel is hands down the perfect elixir for our fuel economy woes. But the tax structure negates the great majority of the savings.
And yeah, I know the reasons for the national debt are way beyond this. Those you mentioned are high on the list. Along with a multitude of others. Even when there is an infrastructure project of some sort, it costs 3x what is should because of all of the prevailing wage and PLA requirements.
Sorry for the OT!