[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by LMPA

We moved to TN, so I can speak to the differences.

Our electricity rates, car insurance, homeowner insurance, gasoline, property taxes are far less. In addition we do not have an income tax or property tax on cars. That is just to name a few things I can think of offhand.

We registered our cars and got new licenses for a fraction of the cost.

We are not big consumers, but will hit up the neighborhood yard sales tomorrow.

CT charges sales tax on many items so essentially we are talking about the difference between the two states. The sales tax on groceries adds up to a few hundred dollars a year in TN.

The cost to live in CT vs TN is much higher regardless of the sales tax.

That is just our personal experience, and could be different for others.

I can vouch for that. I'd trade a higher Ct sales tax for no Ct income tax any day of any week.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

There is no doubt that it costs less to live in Tennessee than Connecticut but the question is how much? According to the website below it costs $95 to register a car in Davidson County. In Connecticut car registration costs $90. That fraction in Davidson County is 19/18ths. Jay

Title and Registration | Davidson County Clerk

$5 gap, or less than one day of the average CT resident's state income tax. 4 days of their car annual property tax bill.

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-wit...-burden/20494/

3.72% of income differential, where higher % is worse.

30 years ago, Ct's tax burden at the state/town level was not this insane.

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

I can vouch for that. I'd trade a higher Ct sales tax for no Ct income tax any day of any week.

This. My sales tax burden is pennies. Income tax is unsustainable. Add in property tax? Forget it.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by JayCT

There is no doubt that it costs less to live in Tennessee than Connecticut but the question is how much? According to the website below it costs $95 to register a car in Davidson County. In Connecticut car registration costs $90. That fraction in Davidson County is 19/18ths. Jay

Title and Registration | Davidson County Clerk

Why don't you remove the rose colored glasses and compare apples vs apples car ownership costs? Sales tax, property/excise tax, registration, emissions/safety inspection, insurance. And maybe road salt impact on depreciation.

The heavy hitter is obviously CT housing cost and taxes. Income. Motor vehicle. Property.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

This. My sales tax burden is pennies. Income tax is unsustainable. Add in property tax? Forget it.

Yes!!!

I have yet to pay property tax on a home. Wife and I paid a little over $2,000 combined in car taxes though pain in the but! My MIL pays close to $12K a year on just home property taxes. They need to cap the mill rate at 50. With town's allowed to add a max .25 cents per thousand add on tax to properties for school funding.

I can understand the thought of high sales tax would drive people over the border. I would take no sales tax, no Estate tax, and no gas tax. No tax on Social Security.

Take a flat income tax rate and a one time car property tax. Income collected over $25,000 is taxed at a flat rate of 7%. Income total for the year below $25,000 is taxed at 2%.

Plus excise tax on alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks, and marijuana.

Tolls that are non-congestion tolls and tax deductible as well.

A flat businesses tax.

[RunD1987]

Also CT should look into privatizing certain agencies; as long as they can work a deal for them to keep the employees once privatized.

Could see DMV privatized, highways privatized, and so forth.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Also CT should look into privatizing certain agencies; as long as they can work a deal for them to keep the employees once privatized.

Could see DMV privatized, highways privatized, and so forth.

DMV need to be privatized service is third world

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Why don't you remove the rose colored glasses and compare apples vs apples car ownership costs? Sales tax, property/excise tax, registration, emissions/safety inspection, insurance. And maybe road salt impact on depreciation.

The heavy hitter is obviously CT housing cost and taxes. Income. Motor vehicle. Property.

I do not have rose colored glasses on. If anything it is those here that point to places like Tennessee as being so great that have the skewed view. I have said Connecticut is an expensive place to live with high taxes BUT as I have shown it is not quite as higher as many here claim. They are the ones with the rose colored glasses on.

Sorry but I find something inherently wrong with taxing necessities like groceries and adding additional sales taxes on top of an already high sales tax on higher priced items. Then having an income tax on interest and dividends. This just seems kind of sneaky to me and certainly not as tax friendly as it appears from a distance. Jay

[RunD1987]

CT taxes groceries and clothes. Plus a high income and sales tax to many States. Plus higher home and gas cost.

[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Yes!!!

I have yet to pay property tax on a home. Wife and I paid a little over $2,000 combined in car taxes though pain in the but! My MIL pays close to $12K a year on just home property taxes. They need to cap the mill rate at 50. With town's allowed to add a max .25 cents per thousand add on tax to properties for school funding.

I can understand the thought of high sales tax would drive people over the border. I would take no sales tax, no Estate tax, and no gas tax. No tax on Social Security.

Take a flat income tax rate and a one time car property tax. Income collected over $25,000 is taxed at a flat rate of 7%. Income total for the year below $25,000 is taxed at 2%.

Plus excise tax on alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks, and marijuana.

Tolls that are non-congestion tolls and tax deductible as well.

A flat businesses tax.

$2,000 in car taxes? What do you guys drive? We have two cars and a truck and oh nowhere near that amount?