As places like California and New York struggle with gigantic deficits (30 billion dollar shortfall reported in California), the state of Alabama has announced a tax rebate as they have a budget surplus. Here is the report. Alaska has the famous "Permanent Fund Dividend", but now Alabama has issued one as well. How different it is to live in a Red State instead of a Blue State! I hope you spend your rebate well Bobby and Yvonne if you receive one.
Good evening to all- Alabama has tax money to return because it has very high sales taxes on EVERYTHING which means poor people pay a much higher percentage on their necessary living purchases than folks do in other places. It hurts poor people- and this includes me and my family. Alabama however has an extremely low property tax structure which means if a person has the money to buy up lots of land as investment, then the tax burden on that property will be quite low- and benefit the rich folks who can invest lots of money in the purchase and holding of lots of land. And in Alabama, if a person invests in a solar generating system for home use, that person must pay a tax penalty to the state for going solar. Regular electric and gas heated and cooled homes do not pay this penalty- just solar. Please, do not put my home state of Alabama up as any kind of tax paragon of virtue- it's a very regressive and backward tax system state. And about that refund- we'll believe it when we see it- I've never gotten a tax refund of any kind from the state. you all be safe and keep well- Ed
Well, sales taxes are my favorite tax @Ed Marsh as you can choose not to pay them simply by not buying much. They are naturally progressive, despite what the libs claim, as rich people spend much more than poor people do. I would like to see everything that is covered by WIC listed as tax-free though since necessary food shouldn't be taxed and isn't in many areas. I don't know about Alabama. Property tax to me is the worst tax, as you get taxed for simply owning something, and you get penalized if you improve it. Income tax is in the middle, as you get penalized for improving your lot in life, and , again, you get penalized for educating yourself and getting a better job, but, of course, you can choose to not go to school, not get training, and just be satisfied with what the government gives you. I know you are very liberal and we will never agree on much, but it is nice to see you post something with thought behind it and not just call Trump vile names with no thought whatever.
Most people who are poor also have EBT or other programs to help with buying food, although I agree that food should not be taxed. Washington State has a high sales tax, but no tax on food, where Alabama has a fairly high tax on anything you buy.
Washington state has no income tax either, but I think they have the highest tax on fuel in the nation.
Texas has no tax on food, no state income tax, but property taxes are high. They will get you one way or another.
We have no state tax on anything as an individual. Businesses have corporate tax, but we have no state income tax, no state sales tax, and no state property tax. We DO have local option taxes that are assessed by boroughs (counties) and cities and towns. I pay property taxes to the borough for road maintenance and school support, but the first $180,000 of assessed real property value is tax exempt for seniors and disabled vets, and seniors get one primary vehicle free of registration cost and trailers are also registered at purchase only. Cars and trucks over 8 years old were also free for a while, but I don't know if that is still in effect. Most cities and towns have sales taxes, but Anchorage does not. They are stupid and rely only on what they can wring from property owners when the visitors to the city are more than 4 times the population and they pay no taxes on anything but gasoline--the lowest in the nation last I checked. (Lowest tax but far from the lowest price) Oh, visitors do pay taxes on hotel beds and rental cars.