Unregistered
June 28th, 2003, 04:19 PM
As a local business owner who received the "good news letter" from the state that, effective June 1, I would be required to begin collecting an extra 1/4 percent sales tax, I say: Enough with the nickel and diming us. We are all aware that the state is in dire straits financially. We are already notorious throughout the country for our "out of whack tax structure." Why, then, do we waste time with this 1/4 percent stuff?
I would love to see different options for raising our taxes be put to a vote so that we, as state taxpayers, could decide which option we could live with. Why not be creative and come up with a plan that could pass most of our expected shortfall on to the non-residents passing through our state, and at the same time create an option to help residents and local businesses?
I propose raising the state tax to 9 percent on all goods and services, and then creating an entire statewide marketing program called Tax-Free Mondays.
Most businesses - hotels, restaurants, malls, theaters, etc. - count Mondays as one of their slowest days of the week. Why not drive all residents to a habit, or benefit, of saving state taxes while supporting local businesses?
Imagine how busy the Walden Galleria would be every Monday. And in late August, rather than all "back-to-school shopping" being scheduled around a trip to Erie, Pa., maybe it would be scheduled on a Monday night in Cheektowaga. This plan would, in essence, extend our merchants' weekends to three days all year long.
Non-residents will not stop traveling here or buying goods here because of a 9 percent sales tax. Most people simply don't pay attention to it. As far as the argument of the burden for residents of the extra 3/4 percent, the difference on a $1,000 purchase is only $7.50. Is this incidental amount really going to stop someone from making a purchase?
RUSS SALVATORE
Depew
www.buffalo.com
I would love to see different options for raising our taxes be put to a vote so that we, as state taxpayers, could decide which option we could live with. Why not be creative and come up with a plan that could pass most of our expected shortfall on to the non-residents passing through our state, and at the same time create an option to help residents and local businesses?
I propose raising the state tax to 9 percent on all goods and services, and then creating an entire statewide marketing program called Tax-Free Mondays.
Most businesses - hotels, restaurants, malls, theaters, etc. - count Mondays as one of their slowest days of the week. Why not drive all residents to a habit, or benefit, of saving state taxes while supporting local businesses?
Imagine how busy the Walden Galleria would be every Monday. And in late August, rather than all "back-to-school shopping" being scheduled around a trip to Erie, Pa., maybe it would be scheduled on a Monday night in Cheektowaga. This plan would, in essence, extend our merchants' weekends to three days all year long.
Non-residents will not stop traveling here or buying goods here because of a 9 percent sales tax. Most people simply don't pay attention to it. As far as the argument of the burden for residents of the extra 3/4 percent, the difference on a $1,000 purchase is only $7.50. Is this incidental amount really going to stop someone from making a purchase?
RUSS SALVATORE
Depew
www.buffalo.com