Posted on 07/15/2009 5:07:54 AM PDT by reaganaut1
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is proposing to raise about $10 billion a year to fix aging water and sewer systems by taxing the biggest users.
The legislation, which has sparked significant opposition from industry, is expected to be unveiled Wednesday at a news conference on Capitol Hill.
The bill calls for a 0.15% tax on any corporation earning a profit of more than $4 million a year. Manufacturers of any water-based beverages, excluding alcohol, would see a four-cent tax per container. Soaps, detergents, toiletries, toilet tissue, water softeners and cooking oils would face a 3% tax on wholesale prices. Pharmaceuticals would be taxed at 0.5% of the wholesale price.
...
A spokeswoman for Mr. Blumenauer said the trust fund created under the bill would bring in about $10 billion a year.
Concerns about the safety and integrity of water systems is a perennial concern, particularly in older cities. Recent water-main breaks in New York City have disrupted traffic and transit.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce representative, Janet Kavinoky, said: "Anytime there's a broad base of general taxes being used to fund infrastructure, the chamber is going to take a close look at how that affects our members."
The chamber also has concerns that a federal subsidy for infrastructure repair could send a signal to local municipalities that they don't need to charge the real cost of providing water.
...
Kevin Keane, senior vice president of the American Beverage Association, said beverage companies would almost certainly raise their prices to help compensate for the tax. This is just another example of "raising taxes on the middle class," Mr. Keane said. [It] would just add to the burden of taxpayers at a time they are already facing economic struggles," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
taxing us to death.
130 new taxes in NY this year ...
I just can’t wait for more.
Where do these politicians think it is all coming from?
???? is thi satire?
How is this not a tax on everyone?
WARNING VIDEO in post # 65 has LANGUAGE do not watch if extreme foul language offends.
Can you let my hubby in on this fact. He thinks I am intentionally going through vacuum cleaners like water.
Wow....when you put it that way!
Time to stock up.
Give it some more time and you’ll be able to add the air we breathe to that list as well.
You are obviously doing WAY too much house work! And need to spend more time with your feet up relaxing ;)
Seriously, I’ve been noticing the lack of quality in most things I’ve been buying, from socks to washing machines. The same brand socks I’ve been buying for years are now much thinner - I have old pairs from 5 years ago to compare with. And our old Kenmore washer lasted 25 years and the new one is so chinzy, all plastic parts, that I hope it lasts a bit longer than the warranty. Your vacuums are probably the same way. ;(
We have the same problem with socks. I got some Gold Star socks from Penneys....expensive, but thicker. ;0(
A federal sales tax now?
Damnation and just when mine is growing.
Not really, out OF us.
It has been a federal issue since before any of us were born. Since the creation of the EPA in the early 1970s it became much more pronounced and extensive.
The true picture is that the fedgov imposes certain treatment levels on communities through the state discharge permit system. Hence, many smaller towns and cities find it hard to afford to meet the new standards.
EPA gave grants to municipalities to help handle the costs of building and maintaining these systems requiring them to charge according to useage and at high enough levels for operation, maintenance and replacement of the treatment works (not the sewers themselves.) Capital costs were not under federal purview either.
Then the Construction Grant program was ended and the aid was given via loans through state run loan programs. All these funds are intended to be perpetual for this purpose and all are doing well. In fact, they often have problems giving all the money out because of the assinine hoops the applicants have to jump through to get the money.
If the infrastructure is made more costly by federal mandates then the costs will be more costly for the smaller municipalities. They can kill smaller weak communities and are in less populated areas of the country without federal aid.
I heard “Taxman” on the radio recently, on headphones while working(being taxed as I worked). I had never listened so closely to the lyrics before. How fitting a song for the misery of the Obamination.
Hey, your a mom, have you noticed how fast soap is dissolving now compared to a few years ago? I want to find a few bars of 20+ year old soap and compare how fast it dissolves against a new bar of the same stuff.
It sure seems like we are using a whole lot more in the shower than we ever did, and since most people are brand specific buyers this just means bigger sales each year for people like Unilever and Proctor and Gambles.
How do you like my tinfoil hat, kind of tight huh?
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Maybe not - I’ve been thinking the same thing lately. Seems like every time I turn around I have to open a new bar.
Go to Home Depot, buy a liquid soap dispenser for twenty bucks, go to WalMart buy liquid soap for very little, and the disappearing bar is history.
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