Dodge City Commission Candidates Forum, Sat. March 15, 10 a.m.

[Gypsy]

Sales tax does not treat everyone alike. It's a regressive tax that hits the poor MUCH harder than the rich. The only way it would hit people the same is if 8% (don't tell me .0795 isn't 8%) left everyone with the same amount (not percentage) of spendable income.

[old timer]

I would suggest that Dorothy did state that immigrants should follow the laws, although I think it was in a question about graffiti, and it seems she would also be much more aware (many years in Ford County 911 Communications Center, including management) with proper concern about no insurance, no license, etc, than either Sherer or Weber showed.

Mr. Sherer has not pushed for enforcement during his 4-years on the commission.

Mr. Weber, Mike B was correct, basically avoided the issue by saying it was a Federal or State concern, re: immigration laws. Technically, he is correct. That local traffic laws, etc., are or are not enforced is a different discussion, one that he and Sherer seemed to avoid.

Again, glad Mike B. pointed out that I didn't list the one question about illegals that was asked. ("In light of the possibility of a watered down State immigration reform law, would you support tougher immigration laws in our sanctuary city?") Again, the answers were so short that I overlooked them -- they blended in with other answers. That they were that short tells a story in itself, I guess.

[old timer]

PS: gypsy, you're correct about sales taxes; I was being sarcastic in the way I stated it. It is ignorant to state that "Sales Taxes are the Fairest Taxes because everyone pays them." Property taxes also hit everyone, either directly or through rent and cost of goods, but they do vary on size of house, cost of house, and number of people in house. But that is a lost argument on this board, I have found. So good luck on that -- many states don't charge sales taxes on medicine, or the first $150.00 of food, etc., to make it a little better. Kansas does allow a sales tax refund as I recall if income is under a certain level. So the states do see that there is a basic unfair element to sales taxes.
I would note -- point to negative side -- that given the number of digital cable boxes, satellite dishes, kids with cell phones, and liquor stores, et al, there's a lot of extra money in the Dodge City economy. The casino will take care of that, I suggest !

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Gypsy

Sales tax does not treat everyone alike. It's a regressive tax that hits the poor MUCH harder than the rich. The only way it would hit people the same is if 8% (don't tell me .0795 isn't 8%) left everyone with the same amount (not percentage) of spendable income.

But wouldn't you say that the poor spend less than those that have more money. I have found through the years that the more money I make, the more I tend to spend. I think that holds true for everybody. Thus, those with more money pay more sales tax.

Case in point, if a poor family goes out to eat, they will more than likely go to a fast food establishment. Those families with more money will tend to go out to a Casey's Cowtown or Central Station type eatery. The poor family will pay $20-40 for there fast food meal for the family, the family with more money will pay $50-80 to feed their family at the nicer eatery. As you can see by this example, the family with more money pays more sales tax.

[OLDHAG]

What I see is we all pay the same amount of tax where ever we eat.Just because you eat at Cowtown and not Mcs does not change the tax rate.
If you go to Dillons and I go to Heartland does that make you pay more taxes?

[Bubba]

What I'm saying is that with a sales tax, YOU are in control of how much tax you pay. If you don't want to pay much tax, don't spend much money. If you spend more money then you pay more tax. The rate is the same, it's how much you spend that determines how much tax you pay. If you spend $5000/yr on groceries to eat, and I choose to eat out and spend $8000/yr to eat, then I pay more taxes.

[old timer]

as I said, isn't something that people here get.

An example of why sales tax is regressive.
Regressive, Progressive taxes/taxation explained.

"If progressive taxes soak the rich, and regressive taxes soak the poor, why do we almost never hear the term, "soak the poor"? Perhaps that is a "loaded" question?

Let's imagine two frugal traveling salesmen. They each have to buy a new car every four years to (say) keep up appearances, and they need reliable transportation.
(One guy makes 20K, the other 300K)
Run the numbers on a the RATE of total income each pays on on 5% sales tax.
Poor Boy buys a $20,000 car pays $1000 or 5.0% of his income.
Rich Boy buys a $60,000 car pays $3000 or 1.0% of his income.
Poor Boy has 5 times the tax bite, or rate of tax on a car. Rich Boy hardly feels sales taxes. Then run the numbers on a $30 pair of Levis, and the tax rate discrepancy triples.
Sales tax is NOT a flat tax."

But wouldn't you say that the poor spend less than those that have more money...

Gee, huh, wonder how you figured that out?

[Bubba]

I have the perfect answer for you old timer. Move to Texas. No sales tax on necessity groceries. No state income tax. No property tax when you buy your tags for vehicle. Then we (I) won't have to listen to you bitch about how bad it is here.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by old timer

...(One guy makes 20K, the other 300K)
Run the numbers on a the RATE of total income each pays on on 5% sales tax.
Poor Boy buys a $20,000 car pays $1000 or 5.0% of his income.
Rich Boy buys a $60,000 car pays $3000 or 1.0% of his income.
Poor Boy has 5 times the tax bite, or rate of tax on a car. Rich Boy hardly feels sales taxes....

There is the big problem! Poor Boy that makes only 20K per year has no business buying a 20K car! I make more than that and I don't even do that. The last car I bought was 2 years ago and it was a '98 Cadillac DeVille for less than $10K. Eight years old at the time and still driving it today.

Rich Boy also probably wouldn't buy a $60K car if he makes $300K. He'll probably be driving a Mercedes or a BMW possibly even a Bentley. The Mercedes or the BMW would probably cost $75-100K. The Bentley will easily cost $200K.

[Made in the USA]

Originally Posted by Bubba

There is the big problem! Poor Boy that makes only 20K per year has no business buying a 20K car! I make more than that and I don't even do that. The last car I bought was 2 years ago and it was a '98 Cadillac DeVille for less than $10K. Eight years old at the time and still driving it today.

Rich Boy also probably wouldn't buy a $60K car if he makes $300K. He'll probably be driving a Mercedes or a BMW possibly even a Bentley. The Mercedes or the BMW would probably cost $75-100K. The Bentley will easily cost $200K.

Then, we have the "illegal immigrant" making $8 an hour, but drives a $70,000 Cadillac Escalade!