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CT is No. 1:
http://www.wfsb.com/news/27843546/detail.html
And our governor wants even more. How many shuttered stores and businesses do we need to have before people figure out that you can't tax your way to prosperity for everybody. Ct has always been an engine creative growth and new invention. it's location between two of the largest cities in the country, concentration of skilled talent and the population's willingness to start businesses and work it's ass off to get ahead have been it's greatest assets. Unfortunately it's Progressive governments have become too large a liability and have drained too much. you cant' keep punishing your growth forever. I think they have bled us white this time and maybe killed the goose that created golden eggs for everybody.

Jccarlton wrote:CT is No. 1:
http://www.wfsb.com/news/27843546/detail.html
And our governor wants even more. How many shuttered stores and businesses do we need to have before people figure out that you can't tax your way to prosperity for everybody. Ct has always been an engine creative growth and new invention. it's location between two of the largest cities in the country, concentration of skilled talent and the population's willingness to start businesses and work it's ass off to get ahead have been it's greatest assets. Unfortunately it's Progressive governments have become too large a liability and have drained too much. you cant' keep punishing your growth forever. I think they have bled us white this time and maybe killed the goose that created golden eggs for everybody.

Working your ass off isn't fair to those who aren't willing to work so hard. Therefore, the produce of your unfair activity (IE the money you earn) needs to be confiscated and given to those who need it more than you do because they're unwilling to work for it.

/semi-sarc

I'm starting to see 'fair' as an obscene concept when it comes to reality any more... You couldn't have advanced classes in schools because it wasn't 'fair' to those who weren't in them. You have the concept of 'social justice' which is all about 'fairness'. You've got the concept of 'fairness' in the tax structure, which is about taking from the successful and giving to the indolent.

Yeah, 'fair' just doesn't mean what it used to. A 'fair chance' meant if you worked hard, you'd get ahead. Now, it seems to mean "Let's make everything equal".

Don't know if it's a kill the golden goose sort of thing, - it may be more on the order of "You can shear a sheep many times, but you can only skin it once". You shear too close, you cut the sheep and infections can take hold. Too much infection, and the sheep dies. And the sheep is a pretty unhealthy critter at this point, having been sheared too close for too long...

Guys, we work here about 5,5 hours out of 8 just to pay income taxes and local taxes.
If I have to add also VAT on purchases than we would need to work about 6-6.5 hours out of 8.

Wanna switch countries?

Giorgio wrote:Guys, we work here about 5,5 hours out of 8 just to pay income taxes and local taxes.
If I have to add also VAT on purchases than we would need to work about 6-6.5 hours out of 8.

Wanna switch countries?

We slowly are. That's what we are trying to stop.

Good luck. We have been falling slowly down the hill for the last 40 years and no one of our so called politicians has ever made anything to stop the trend.
Funny stuff is that at the start of each fiscal year they will say that the trend will be reversed in 5 years time..... Kinda like the timeline for Fusion.

Three comments from far away:
1 - What would be the fun of having a decentralized government if it were not for having different tax levels in the 50 states. Having said that, one state has to lead. That is basic maths.
2 - I often see people compare tax levels (and complain) but very seldom compare the value for this money in terms of services actually provided to them. What about public services in CT?
3 - I was in the US last week and I remember reading (was it in the NY Times, I can't remember) about a study according to which Americans have never paid as little taxes since WWII.

olivier wrote:Three comments from far away:
1 - What would be the fun of having a decentralized government if it were not for having different tax levels in the 50 states. Having said that, one state has to lead. That is basic maths.
2 - I often see people compare tax levels (and complain) but very seldom compare the value for this money in terms of services actually provided to them. What about public services in CT?
3 - I was in the US last week and I remember reading (was it in the NY Times, I can't remember) about a study according to which Americans have never paid as little taxes since WWII.

What is the value to me of services I'd prefer not to buy?

Milton Friedman once estimated that if the Federal Government was properly limited to its Constitutional functions the economy would be growing at 10% a year. Growth rates like that drive up wages.

So tell me. What is the opportunity cost of all these wonderful services?

Would I prefer to be making 2X as much as today in 7 years and forgo the services or should I be content with 10% more and an army of blood suckers?