Posted on 11/28/2006 9:46:44 AM PST by RonaldReaganFellow
If you had family in town for Thanksgiving, they may have mentioned how expensive it was to rent a car at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Nearly 30 percent of the average car-rental bill at Sky Harbor is taxes, the fourth highest in the nation. Ever wonder why they’re so high? Sky Harbor doesn’t hide the facts: the charges help pay for the University of Phoenix Stadium and a new multimillion-dollar car rental facility.
Targeted excise taxes have proven regrettably popular across the nation. Since 1976, more than 80 car rental excise taxes have sprung up. They often fund things like minor league baseball and the performing arts, costing consumers $3 billion over the past 12 years.
Many wonder why customers should be forced to fund programs bearing no connection to the car rental industry whatsoever. But the fundamental question is with discriminatory taxation. Rental taxes targeted explicitly at out-of-state residents likely violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against state-sanctioned economic discrimination against out-of-state residents.
Stadiums might be a good thing, but tax schemes ignorant of the Constitution are no way to play ball.
Benjamin Barr is a constitutional policy analyst with the Goldwater Institute Center for Constitutional Studies.
Rent a car from Reno Airport and be prepared to pay about 35% in total tax.
Arizona taxes are insane. Our local sales tax here in Yuma is 8.9%. I just reserved a room for one of the teachers I work for in Tucson (that's Toooo-son, Meredith), and the tax was 12.9%.
Stadium projects have been financed with Hotel taxes since day one. Rental car taxes is just an extension of the "make strangers pay" mindset.
This is too true to be very funny:
Tax his land,
Tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirts,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he tries to think
Tax his booze,
Tax his beers,
If he cries,
Tax his tears.
Tax his bills,
Tax his gas,
Tax his notes,
Tax his cash.
Tax him good and let him know
That after taxes, he has no dough.
If he hollers,
Tax him more,
Tax him until he's good and sore.
Tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in which he lays.
Put these words upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me to my doom!"
And when he's gone,
We won't relax,
We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),
Liquor Tax,
Luxury Tax,
Marriage License Tax,
Medicare Tax,
Property Tax,
Real Estate Tax,
Service charge taxes,
Social Security Tax,
Road Usage Tax (Truckers),
Sales Taxes,
Recreational Vehicle Tax,
School Tax,
State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),
Telephone Federal Excise Tax,
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax,
Telephone State and Local Tax,
Telephone Usage Charge Tax,
Utility Tax,
Vehicle License Registration Tax,
Vehicle Sales Tax,
Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax,
Workers Compensation Tax.
COMMENT: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and there was prosperity, absolutely no national debt, the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What the ##*% happened?
I used to travel to Phoenix regularly for business and objected strongly to this ploy. Years ago I was planning a National Sales meeting (30-40 attendees, Hotel Rooms, dinners, cars, etc.) I changed the plans to New Orleans when I found out about their scam.
I also wrote a letter to the City and advised them of what I had done.
I never got a reply.
BTW, I was in Phoenix for Thanksgiving. Rented an SUV. Wednesday to Sunday was $330.00. All in all $65.00 a day for a five passenger SUV is not that bad.
well what the heck, if you get a speeding ticket in Kentucky, then you pay the fine for speeding, but they then tack on everything from library charges to the cost fo running the jail.
So your $20 dollar speeding fine goes to like $100 bucks, of which most has nothing at all to do with traffic citations.
>>COMMENT: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and there was prosperity, absolutely no national debt, the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What the ##*% happened?<<
Seriously, women got the vote.
Security trumps freedom.
Sad but true. Liberty departs, laws accumulate
What I really wish was that there be a truth in price advertising.
At least on the internet.
If you check a rental for a price, it should have the bottom line fully taxed price listed. Not when you check out here is how you are going to be screwed price at the end.
Dude.
Cognitive dissonance.
$2000 a month?
I once saw the truth in taxes beer mug at a republican convention.
IT WAS BRILLIANT, it showed how much of the much was actually taxation.
How about a aw which required to show how much of your gallon of gas is taxes and how much is the actual price per gallon?
We have truth in advertising.
how about truth in taxation.
(isn't the real adjusted tax people pay something like 45% of every dollar?)
Car rental rates do not work that way, so you math is not valid.
Had I rented the car for a month, the rate above would not have applied. I rented based on a five day rental. Had I rented for one day only the price would have far exceeded $65.00. Similarly, had I rented for a month the price per day would be reduced.
Reality, dude.
Take a cab to an off airport location
Hang out at a car rental place and see the constant anger there...
I had to rent a car while my car was at the body shop for two weeks.
The car was $25 a day. Then the fun begins...
What's a day?
Office hours are 7am to 5:30pm. OK. Say you need a car to use between 5 am and 8 pm tomorrow. That's 15 hours.
You must pick it up before they close tonight. Day 1. Ka-ching!
You can't bring it back tomorrow, because they are closed.Ka-ching!
Total use: 15 hours.
Today rental --- 3 days!
KA-CHING!
Not to be a shill for Hertz, but the quote I received from Hertz, via the internet, had all costs broken out including projected taxes. I paid the total I was quoted.
They will bring the car to you (witin a reasonable distance) and allow for off hours drop off. If the car is there when they open, they do not charge you for the overnight that you may have had the car.
As if I am going to research that for the sake of satisfying you?
I take it you do not rent cars very often, if you did you would not be displaying the lack of knowledge on the subject that you are.
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