Thus - the reason Texas is fairing pretty well in this nasty recession... business climate is good. We have an 8.25% sales tax - but as you know broad based taxes are best - everybody pays - no exemptions for favored groups - except non profits.
Best of all - Texas has NO INCOME TAX - nada, zero, zip, zilch..
I read that 2000 people are moving to Texas a month... wonder why?
Forgot - we do have a pretty burdensome property tax... it is unbalanced - unfair... we are working to get rid of it...
If we have to have taxes - broad ones are best - property owners, non property owners, old and young, and all the rest.
Texas is an argument for a National Sales Tax - administered by each state collecting the add on sales tax - coupled with a drastic reduction in the ‘progressive’ income tax - with an eventual phase out.
People say - a National Sales Tax won’t work - But it works in Texas for 22 million citizens - EVERYBODY PAYS... not just some...
We have about 40 percent of adult Americans not paying any income tax - with a National Sales Tax - they would pay.
Our income tax burden is high because millions are on a free ride... take away their ride.
we have a high sales tax, and our property taxes are sky high....but at least you might be able to deduct them on your federal tax...