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> Though Texas has no state-level personal income tax, it does levy relatively high consumption and property taxes on residents to make up the difference. Ultim
by jon_richards 3y ago
> Though Texas has no state-level personal income tax, it does levy relatively high consumption and property taxes on residents to make up the difference. Ultimately, it has a higher effective state and local tax rate for a median U.S. household at 12.73% than California's 8.97%, according to a new report from WalletHub.
Obviously there are more than two states, but it’s not so simple.
Plus, someone’s got to pay for everything:
> [California] receives $0.99 in federal expenditures per dollar of taxes paid, which is below the national average return for states of $1.22 per dollar paid, according to its review of a 2015 New York Comptroller study.
- dmitrygr 3y ago> for a median U.S. household Please, not more of this nonsense Show me a SWE who makes median ($40,480 in 2023) money or less. That quote does not apply. For people making SWE money, Texas is a LOT better tax-wise
- fzeroracer 3y agoI lived in Texas making six figures as a SWE. Texas was not far better tax wise. Texas does a lot to ding you in ways that aren't taxes, and buying a home that doesn't involve an hour and a half commute one way is unrealistic.
- wolverine876 3y ago> For people making SWE money, Texas is a LOT better tax-wise How do the people of Texas pay for things, then, if not through income taxes?
- tomrod 3y agoProperty tax, sales tax, toll roads in places they shouldn't be, and so forth.
- acdha 3y agoProperty and local taxes, and also simply doing less. https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/tax-burden-by-state-2022/ https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/tax-burden-by-state... Californians pay more taxes but they also get better social services, schools, universities, parks, etc.
- tomrod 3y agoFormer Texan here. Property taxes cost quite a bit, far exceeding incremental tax load in areas I've lived out of the state. Anecdata, but a counterpoint to your general claim.
- zoklet-enjoyer 3y agoNonsense? Most people aren't software engineers.
- dillydogg 3y agoDo you not care about people who do not make SWE wages?
- wolverine876 3y ago> Plus, someone’s got to pay for everything: Bizarrely, even experts miss this obvious fact. If not income taxes, then how does government pay the bills? Income taxes are usually the most progressive tax, so no income tax usually means less wealthy people pay more. If government spends less, what services are cut? No income tax != free lunch. Someone has to pay.
- dillydogg 3y agoYeah it's very funny hearing my dad talk about how nice it is to have no income tax in Washington (he's a dentist). But when you tell him that the relatively higher income tax is worse for poor people he doesn't seem to agree. Washington is certainly a progressive state on the whole, but the taxation is horrible.
- wolverine876 3y ago> relatively higher income tax is worse for poor people How is it worse for poor people?
- dillydogg 3y agoPoor people spend more of their income on things that have sales tax. In other words, someone who is worried about their 401k is probably spending less of their income each month by percentage compared to someone living paycheck to paycheck. https://itep.org/whopays-7th-edition/#sales-and-excise-taxes https://itep.org/whopays-7th-edition/#sales-and-excise-taxes
- lobocinza 3y agoGovernments can do less and spend more wisely.
- wolverine876 3y agoWhat solution does that offer? People have been debating what to keep and cut for generations, as well as ways to improve spending; I don't see any low-hanging fruit or big improvements there.
- pandaman 3y agoTexas levies property taxes now?