43 States Joining Together for Internet Taxation

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


The initial price, yes, but not with the 6% or 7% added to your bill because of state sales tax. Look at your reciepts, for retailers it'll be there.

Umm, I think that was che's point. Pre-tax prices are uniform. Which surprises me given the size and diversity of the US - I would have thought that there would be sufficient price pressures in different regions to cause differing prices.

[Japher]

I could care less... interstate commerce is so messed up, IMO... at least we can ship wine anywhere we want now.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Dauphin
Umm, I think that was che's point. Pre-tax prices are uniform. Which surprises me given the size and diversity of the US - I would have thought that there would be sufficient price pressures in different regions to cause differing prices.

It depends on the goods. McDonalds is the same no matter where you go, with the exception of large cities and places where they have a trapped market, like airports. The price between large cities, however, tends to be similar, so I could expect to pay the same in downtown Miami that I would pay in downtown Chicago. Goods at Wal-Mart or Sear would also be uniform across the nation.

Food purchased at a supermarket or gasoline, however, does change with location, but food generally isn't taxed or if it is, it is taxed very lightly and gasoline is very heavily taxed. Nonetheless, national chains, say Amaco, tend to have a national price which varies only due to local taxation and possibly the franchise's whim, while national items in a supermarket, say a 2-litre of Coca-Cola, tend to be the same across the country. The CoL in Jacksonville is 1/3rd less than in Chicago, but a 2-litre is $1.25 in both cities (barring local sales).

Personally, I'd like to see sales taxes abolished and replaced with an income tax, but in areas which are heavily driven by tourism, like Florida, that's not gonna happen. So I was thinking maybe an income tax with a sales tax rebate.