According to the 2007 US Labor data, the average family spends $48,398 annually. The new Milwaukee Sales Tax, with it’s decieving description as property tax relief, will add an additional 1% to those costs, and save that average Milwaukeean (supposedly, ha!) $165 in property taxes (that are some of the highest in the nation already).
So, if you can avoid paying the new 1% sales tax, you can save $483. I know I won’t be able to do it with everything and it’s not that much but, for me it’s more of a boycott decision because I think it’s a horrible idea. Obviously, if you work and live right downtown avoiding the tax is harder but, if work outside of Milwaukee county or live close to the border it makes it even easier. Interested in joining me in boycotting the new hike? Here is the Milwaukee County Map:
- The Graphic Effect of High Taxes and Spending, Move on out! - June 16th, 2010
- Live from the 2010 Wisconsin GOP Convention - May 22nd, 2010
- Republican Party of Wisconsin State Convention 2010 - May 21st, 2010
- Charts: Artificial American Recovery? - April 15th, 2010
- Liberal Professor to Teach FUELMilwaukee "Government 101" - April 14th, 2010
You might want to check the study you cite to find out which items are actually subject to a sales tax before throwing around numbers like $483 and terms like boycott.
Here’s a hint, the top three expenditures aren’t subject to a sales tax.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the information, please provide a link to the details of the exemptions as neither your site nor the Journal Sentinel article list any exemptions.
Thanks,
Brandon
Let me put it this way; once this tripling comes to pass, anybody living around the Marquette campus who can’t find a particular item at Grand Avenue (or can find it cheaper elsewhere) is better off taking their car to Waukesha County for any purchase over $200, and the bus for anything over $60. Actually, right now the threshhold for the road trip is lower, because I calculated that with a gas price of $4/gallon, but I don’t expect gas to stay relatively-low for long.
(Almost) off-topic, I noticed that map has Rainbow Field on it. It was shut down by the county almost 20 years ago, and it’s still a fallow field. Sign of things to come.
Brandon,
In Wisconsin, sales taxes don’t apply to housing, groceries, insurance, gasoline or health care. Entertainment, dining out (food, away from home in the study), apperal, and depending on what it is, “other”, are the only items subject to a sales tax in Wisconsin.
Is a county sales tax subject to the same limitations as the state sales tax? If so, per what statute, law, etc?
Dan -
Good point about the exceptions. But they are also the reason why this measure is going to be so detrimental for downtown Milwaukee in particular. The area thrives on restaurant and retail sales business.
Doubly hit with the paid sick day mandate, these businesses in downtown Milwaukee will suffer. And so will the entire constituency.
Katie, I’ve made this point over the past several months about the issue you bring up with regard to downtown Milwaukee:
The area will continue to thrive as a destination for those looking for entertainment and retail in spite of a sales tax increase for one very simple reason that’s been proved in every other metro area that has a higher sales tax than it’s immediate neighbors: people don’t figure something like a sales tax into their decision when choosing where to eat on Friday night.
When was the last time you heard someone bring up the amount of a sales tax at a particular restaurant as one of the criteria for choosing it?
Even on a tab of $100, which is a very nice night out for most people, we’re talking about an extra $1.00 here as a result of a 1% sales tax increase.
BTW, any relation to Dan Wycklendt?
Brother of mine.
I don’t necessarily disagree that most people won’t think about the sales tax. In fact, most people aren’t too informed and won’t even know.
Still though, if we kept adding to the tax, people would eventually notice. Obviously there has to be a line. I wish it was now rather than later. It would be good to see government get smaller, not bigger. For example, I thought you two gentlemen ran a very fine campaign for a position we should get rid of anyway.