[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Don't be silly, I NEVER said it was the same amount but it is something that MANY people here choose to neglect. You however are forgetting that towns and counties in Tennessee add onto that state sales tax rate. That can be an additional 2.75% so the 5.5% can actually be as high as 8.25%. And if you figure MANY items people buy today at grocery stores fall into the full tax category (prepared foods, soda, sweets, etc.), it is not nearly as cheap as you think (9.75%). A family that spends $150 per week at the grocery store can easily end up paying over $700 in grocery taxes! To people living on limited incomes, that is a lot. Jay

While $700 might seem like a lot for groceries, as noted, if that person makes 65k, they’ll be saving $3500 on income tax, ~$4000 in property tax on a $300k home, hundreds per year in utilities. That worst case scenario of $700 spread out over 12 months all of the sudden doesn’t seem so high.

[ayoskillz]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Don't be silly, I NEVER said it was the same amount but it is something that MANY people here choose to neglect. You however are forgetting that towns and counties in Tennessee add onto that state sales tax rate. That can be an additional 2.75% so the 5.5% can actually be as high as 8.25%. And if you figure MANY items people buy today at grocery stores fall into the full tax category (prepared foods, soda, sweets, etc.), it is not nearly as cheap as you think (9.75%). A family that spends $150 per week at the grocery store can easily end up paying over $700 in grocery taxes! To people living on limited incomes, that is a lot. Jay

Most people living on low to limited incomes dont care about taxes or ect. The state helps them with that

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

While $700 might seem like a lot for groceries, as noted, if that person makes 65k, they’ll be saving $3500 on income tax, ~$4000 in property tax on a $300k home, hundreds per year in utilities. That worst case scenario of $700 spread out over 12 months all of the sudden doesn’t seem so high.

We went through this before. The savings on property taxes are not nearly that high and you are not considering the difference in pay in each state. It is a LOT more than $7,500. The median income in Connecticut is $70,000 while in Tennessee its $47,000 (Davidson County is $49,000). Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

That fast growth also means more traffic congestion. Metro Atlanta has some of the worst traffic congestion in the country and it is getting worse, not better. MARTA does not go out to Alpharetta so you do not have a rail mass-transit option like we do here in Fairfield and New Haven counties and soon in Hartford County as well. Jay

You are correct that MARTA is not as widely used as Metro North, but the greater NYC area (which 50% of CT’s population is part of) ranked as the third most congested metro in the world. Don’t get me wrong - Atlanta is terrible - however it does not compare to traffic in the metro half of CT belongs to. Believe it or not, many CT residents drive into New York, too.

From an economic standpoint, I’d rather deal with the growing pains of traffic and crowds than being in an area that’s one of the biggest losers of population, near dead last in being business-friendly and increasing taxes on the backs of hardworking homeowners to compensate for losses. By 2019, I suspect CT will surpass NY in tax burden. Not good.

Originally Posted by JayCT

We went through this before. The savings on property taxes are not nearly that high and you are not considering the difference in pay in each state. It is a LOT more than $7,500. The median income in Connecticut is $70,000 while in Tennessee its $47,000 (Davidson County is $49,000). Jay

They most certainly are. My old neighbor in Branford relocated to Seymour, TN (a suburb of Knoxville). In texting with him last week, he lives in a 2200 square foot home built in 2007 he purchased for 275k and pays $1200/year in property taxes. His home in Branford, a dated cape, he sold for 310k. His property taxes were 5100/year. That’s a savings of 4K per year on a home that’s 1,000 square feet larger (and decades newer). So yes, the savings on property taxes ARE that high.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by ayoskillz

Most people living on low to limited incomes dont care about taxes or ect. The state helps them with that

How does the state help a person not pay sales taxes? They don't. Jay

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Don't be silly, I NEVER said it was the same amount but it is something that MANY people here choose to neglect. You however are forgetting that towns and counties in Tennessee add onto that state sales tax rate. That can be an additional 2.75% so the 5.5% can actually be as high as 8.25%. And if you figure MANY items people buy today at grocery stores fall into the full tax category (prepared foods, soda, sweets, etc.), it is not nearly as cheap as you think (9.75%). A family that spends $150 per week at the grocery store can easily end up paying over $700 in grocery taxes! To people living on limited incomes, that is a lot. Jay

Actually I was wrong in my TN calculation - it's 4% plus whatever the local tax rate is.

And people CHOOSE to buy items that are quick and easy and taxable at the full rate. Happens here too. But they can eat well by buying REAL food at the lower rate.

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

While $700 might seem like a lot for groceries, as noted, if that person makes 65k, they’ll be saving $3500 on income tax, ~$4000 in property tax on a $300k home, hundreds per year in utilities. That worst case scenario of $700 spread out over 12 months all of the sudden doesn’t seem so high.

$700 is PEANUTS compared to the rest of it.

It's kind of like saying someone won't move to CT because of our stupid high gas tax. While it is high, compare the difference to other states over the course of a year and it's probably not that bad (someone else can do the calculations on that one)

Originally Posted by ayoskillz

Most people living on low to limited incomes dont care about taxes or ect. The state helps them with that

Originally Posted by JayCT

How does the sate help a person not pay sales taxes? They don't. Jay

They get welfare, SNAP, energy assistance.... And as I noted elsewhere, SNAP purchases on regular food are exempt from sales tax. Not the prepared food but real food.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

Actually I was wrong in my TN calculation - it's 4% plus whatever the local tax rate is.

And people CHOOSE to buy items that are quick and easy and taxable at the full rate. Happens here too. But they can eat well by buying REAL food at the lower rate.



$700 is PEANUTS compared to the rest of it.

It's kind of like saying someone won't move to CT because of our stupid high gas tax. While it is high, compare the difference to other states over the course of a year and it's probably not that bad (someone else can do the calculations on that one)






They get welfare, SNAP, energy assistance.... And as I noted elsewhere, SNAP purchases on regular food are exempt from sales tax. Not the prepared food but real food.

Even at 4% plus the local tax, a family will be paying a lot in taxes on groceries. You may not think it is but again people on limited incomes do.

And so you know, Tennessee's gas tax is the same as Connecticut ($0.25) and is scheduled to go even higher. Whose gas tax is more stupid high now?

SNAP is Tennessee's food stamp program. The income and asset limits (just $2,250) on it are ridiculous for the world today so most people don't qualify. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Even at 4% plus the local tax, a family will be paying a lot in taxes on groceries. You may not think it is but again people on limited incomes do.

And so you know, Tennessee's gas tax is the same as Connecticut ($0.25) and is scheduled to go even higher. Whose gas tax is more stupid high now?

SNAP is Tennessee's food stamp program. The income and asset limits (just $2,250) on it are ridiculous for the world today so most people don't qualify. Jay

You are correct that TN’s gas tax is the same. You are incorrect if you’re trying to say TN’s overall tax burden is anywhere near what the residents of CT pay. The difference would, undoubtedly, be thousands.

[ayoskillz]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Even at 4% plus the local tax, a family will be paying a lot in taxes on groceries. You may not think it is but again people on limited incomes do.

And so you know, Tennessee's gas tax is the same as Connecticut ($0.25) and is scheduled to go even higher. Whose gas tax is more stupid high now?

SNAP is Tennessee's food stamp program. The income and asset limits (just $2,250) on it are ridiculous for the world today so most people don't qualify. Jay

Gas tax is yhe same for right now https://www.google.com.mx/amp/s/ctmi...n-network/amp/

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Even at 4% plus the local tax, a family will be paying a lot in taxes on groceries. You may not think it is but again people on limited incomes do.

And so you know, Tennessee's gas tax is the same as Connecticut ($0.25) and is scheduled to go even higher. Whose gas tax is more stupid high now?

SNAP is Tennessee's food stamp program. The income and asset limits (just $2,250) on it are ridiculous for the world today so most people don't qualify. Jay

People on limited incomes are likely getting financial assistance! I have a limited income right now, am too high for financial assistance, yet would not reach a crippling rate of food sales tax anytime quick.

Honest opinion on the gas tax? (not that *I* singled out TN's gas tax ) - I think they're both stupid high.

SNAP is a government program that probably every state uses, including CT.

There are many many exemptions to the asset limits. You can own a house, car, have checking and savings accounts, even retirement funds.

Common misconception though. I thought so myself until I was pulled into their assistance trailer while waiting in the insane line for a free dental cleaning. I only wanted to warm up but turned out all my thoughts about SNAP were wrong and I did qualify.