Uh, yeah, rooskers, don't forget that the tax pile-up goes well beyond federal taxes.
I have 8 percent of anything I spend tacked on in sales tax (If you think about it, everything I ever earn will be spent and thus 8% of my income will have been taxed in this way.) Plus there's a 1% city income tax with no deductions nor exemptions,in addition to a state income tax. Most of us also have property tax, plus federal taxes on phone, tires, airline trips. I have a local "personal property tax," (not just on the house), and city business licenses just to be able to do any business. Then there are special taxes on energy including gasoline, natural gas, and electricity. Plus sewer tax. Plus all kinds of user fees for toll roads & bridges, parks, access to certain public records, to have a parade, approval of building or demolition plans, to license of boat to go on public waters, to fish in public waters, to hunt, etc. Others have even more taxes, like maybe special tax districts set up to help fund things like zoos, museums, special schools, historic architecture preservation, public transportation, bike paths, old railroad bed restoration to hiking trails, etc. All this yet I am living in an area that pays slightly fewer taxes than average in the USA. The 7.77% of income I pay in federal income tax is only part of the picture; I assume the same for everyone else here.
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