Calling all SI Sistahs!!! forum: You Ask For It!! June 2013
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| It hasn't hit here in this western end of KY yet, but the way I understand it, the taxing of rain has to do with how many square feet of your property is covered by a driveway, a house or an outbuilding. In other words, those things which block rainfall and keep it from getting into the ground. They claim if you block rainfall, it's contributing to poor drainage, ecological problems, etc. The lake view tax - or water view tax - I think is based on square footage of things like your windows or how much of the water is visible from your property. In other words again, your house is blocking everybody's view but your own. As if you own that view or in the case of rain, as if you are the only one who can own that rain - so you are taxed for it. Crazy, I know. Seems like we are already paying taxes on our property, yet this is another tax in addition to the tax we are already paying. Double taxation. The reason I know this is because we are surrounded by rivers as well as KY Lake and Lake Barkley here. This also includes the Ohio River, the Tennessee River and the Cumberland River - lots of waterfront property. Last year when we were in severe drought conditions, the water view tax was mentioned. Now that we have plenty of water this year, the rain tax was mentioned. Nothing has been done yet, but I know the 'powers that be' have been looking at more taxation that is happening in other states. But the thing is - nobody has ever explained to me exactly where that extra money would go. Who would benefit from it? Would they use it to protect the soil, insure proper drainage, what would they use it for?? And the water view??? Where would that money go and for what? Property taxes are used for the upkeep of the city in which you live, the roads, the road equipment, fire departments, police departments, etc. So I keep wanting to know what the extra tax would be used for, but nobody can tell me. Do you know?? Seems like we are being destroyed by officials, local and otherwise. Sometimes I see no end to it. OK, off my soapbox now. Hope y'all are having a really happy summer and one without so much pain and sickness. The weather has been nicer here than last year, but I'm having trouble keeping up with the weeds. |
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| We have enough taxes here and hope that rain fall tax, if it goes into effect, does not come out way. Our sales tax is already 9% and they are enlarging some freeways so guess who has to pay for them!!! One of the freeways is close to us and it sure is a mess. Still very hot here, but our evenings are cool. Tomato plants are doing well, hoping for BLT's later on. Life is fragile, handle with prayer. |
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| Michigan's sales tax went to 6% a few years back, not really so awful, food and drugs aren't subject to it. I know it's one of the higher expenses we will have if we get to TN. Sales tax on everything and it's much higher. Ours here is state wide and in TN each city or county or whatever seems to charge differently. When it is decided to raise or add a new tax the usual practice seems to be to say it's for the schools which is to make it easier to shove down our throats. Happened with the lottery and casinos. Strange thing is it all seems to go into the "General Fund" no one really knows where that goes. |
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| It's for all the pay raises they vote for themselves and for all the benefits they get that we don't and all the "retirement" money they will have that we won't see. |
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| That's about right Barb. |
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| I think it depends on the city. Our city council and commissioners don't get a salary or perks, no insurance. The county officials get a bit, but all have other jobs, because the 'bit' is small and there are no benefits. It varies with the size of the city - also the state, I think. But it's very reasonable to live here. All my taxes, city and county combined, are less than $800 annually and I have a 4 BR 2 bath brick home, 2700 sq ft on 3/4 acre. Our small town has its own fire and police departments, the fire dept guys are trained volunteers, but the police are salaried. Insurance is reasonable too, so i really can't complain. However, if we are ever taxed for rain or for a water view, then there might be an uprising. Sales tax is 6% though - like TN, right Karen? Life is so weird. We look forward to retirement then have to struggle to survive. I keep holding on to this house which is too big for a little old lady, but I look around and I swear, I'm almost afraid to try to sell it and move - because the situation could be so much worse. Fear of the unknown, maybe. |
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| I have seen sales taxes in TN as high as 9%. MI is 6% and none on food or meds. |
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| You're right. I slip through TN on my way south and don't linger, so wasn't sure of the sales tax there. None on food or meds here either, except on prepared foods, like at the deli. |
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| Our property taxes are sky high here. BUT - we have NO sales tax and NO state income tax. We have a room and meals tax which is 7% on hotel/motel rooms and prepared meals. We rent but my daughter has a 6 acre lot with Gambrel house and a shed and their taxes are around $6000.00 per year. Rents are high for single family homes as the taxes are usually built into the amount charged for rent. We are surrounded on three sides by states that have sales taxes so we get a lot of influx from that. That helps our small business owners considerably as well as the big stores. |
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| Prepared food is taxed here also. We do have a state income tax, some cities charge a city income also but I sure can't see it doing much for them as they are mostly ghost towns. Detroit looks in places like it is reverting to farmland. Something new I learned...if a sports team plays in Detroit, each player has to pay city income tax on what they earned for the game here. That's crazy. We also have what they call homesteading which we can do with our principle residence and it cuts our property tax in half. It made a huge difference for us here. |
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| Oh Barb, you have hit the nail there. Increment in taxes is all for the politicians. NC has seen ridiculous increments and more new taxes since McCrory was elected. He gave his staff 30% raise and slashed the state employees' pay. Then cut down on many social services' cost while giving tax breaks to conglemerates. I was shock to see a 2% city tax added to the already 7% sales tax. This is a very poor county, and that doesn't make sense. NC also has the highest income tax rate  Didn't write much as I have nothing fresh to offer  Been kinda aggravated with the weather.. after the rains.. battles with mosquito drones ensue! Tucked and used all kinds of protection and even wear long sleeves, but they bite through them  Been noticing my cats swatting at them!  Have a fantastic day ladies! |
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| Jaye, we have 9% tax too and it sure is hard on everyone. Good thing our food isn't taxed, except take out, but I'll bet it won't be long and we will hear that they are considering it. OTC meds are taxed but prescription meds aren;t. Yep, the big wigs always get a raise. I feel sorry for the men who are working on the freeway expantion on these hot hot days. Life is fragile, handle with prayer. |
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| Morning everyone! Hoping that your days are cooler, as our weather is supposed to back off slightly this week. Still predicting rain for the next few days... Thought I'd post a Miss Bella pic for you. She's up to 20 lbs, crawling and getting into things like all babies do at this age! She decided she liked playing in the box with her blocks...LOL Isn't it amazing how they like playing with simple things instead of all those expensive toys that are sold these days??!!??!! When she was here for a couple days, she played with one of my big plastic soup ladles..it was almost a long as she was tall!  |
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Kathy, she is just so precious! Dylan likes the boxes too! |
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| I think it is mandatory!!! |
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| Dylan is a cutie! He just fits in that box.. lol Mom would stop at the hardware store and pick up empty boxes sometimes. We would use crayons and mark out windows and decorate it for our 'house'. If she found a refrigerator box, I got to make a cardboard cut-out doll, using me as a pattern and wallpaper scraps to make clothes for it.. that was really 'recycling'! So much fun! Hi Barb! Hope you and Norm are doing well. Glad you found a nice place to move into that suits both of you! |
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 Bella and Dylan, my favorite subjects  :hearts:Didn't play with huge boxes, but after dad finished mowing the grass, we would use grass clippings to stake out territories. Would lay out a square outline than fill that with 'rooms'. Being an older sister, I'd have the biggest room! Dad was gracious enough to let us play to our hearts content and when we're through, he'd patiently rake them up. That was one rare act of tolerance from a man who ruled with a belt. Sorry I've not been around. My head isn't wrapped tight as my nephew would say. I'm off anti depressants and working towards healing my mind the natural way. Being out there in the gardens help a lot, but when it rains.. I'd have to find other mindless activity like defleaing the cats more than once a day  |
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| HI everyone! Just a line to let you all know I'm still alive! Be careful of what e-mails you open. I opened one that had Wayne's name on it, BUT his addy doesn't have his name in it! It was advertising Rasberry Drops diet. This in itself is not good, ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT BEFORE YOU ORDER FROM THE NET! I ordered a trial of the capsules for $5.99, received them and later they charged my bank account $89.00. I made them give it back, but this has nothing to do with Wayne's e-mail. It locked his Yahoo account and he can't get it open. NOY Yahoo's fault! This same thing happened last year, but with different messages.  |
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| You have to be so careful on the internet. It's best to only deal with known companies or maybe ones recommended by friends. Be especially careful with email, if you don't recognize who it is from or something looks odd about it, it's best to delete it without opening. If by chance it was legit, the person will call or get hold of you. It's the same as with phone solicitors, you have to be very careful in order to not become a victim. Just one more thing, because you responded once, you will be targeted as they sell names to other scammers. |
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Hey Audrey! Glad to see you here. Just knowing you're still around makes this morning a lil cheery!  Karen is right, we have to be very wary of offers and scammers are getting much more sophisticated and brilliant at manipulating and bypassing viral protection programs. Not like the old days where you can throw junk mail to the bin. I wish e-mails should be just as safe as postal mails. Been hot and busy in the yard, with the kids and trying to finish off a few sewing obligations. I need Kathy Kiz and Barb's determination!  THink I'm suffering from a Adult Attention Disorder!! SO what are you all up to. I know.. it's pretty quiet here for the month. |
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