Thursday, February 24, 2011

What sin taxes are you paying the nanny state for that pizza binge?

By John Sykes

imageWho says we don’t pay sin taxes? Just look at the relatively hidden taxes on the sinful practices of eating pizza, drinking alcohol or sugar, having a cigarette with any of it, going home and turning on the electricity, and taking a trip!

The percentage figures at the end of each item are mine. For the fun,or horror, of it, I averaged them all to arrive at 41% straight into the pockets of the nanny state..

For your pizza, beverage and smoking binge, you paid 53% of the cost to the corruptocrats.

For your trip out of town the governments just got 37%.

And I hope you didn’t leave your lights on at home because our nannies got 26%!

imageSee! The more enjoyment derived, which seems to be a sin these days, the more the statists get. Let’s hope that Nanny-In-Chief Michelle soon gets the Spender-In-Chief to give us a rebate on that broccoli and spinach we love so much!

From Ralph Reiland, Prof of Economics Robert Morris College in “Taxed to Death"

It ain’t over on April 15!

If you stop, for example, for a $10 pizza on Thursday night to celebrate being done with the IRS for another year, the taxman will be right there to grab a slice or two. On top of paying the sales tax, you’ll also be picking up a major chunk of what the government charges the pizza shop owner for local property taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, federal payroll taxes, federal and state and local income taxes, and worker’s compensation taxes. Altogether, according to a study by the Americans for Tax Reform, that comes to $3.80 on a $10 pizza for the omnipresent taxman. – 38%

If you pick up a Bud six-pack to go with the pizza, there’s another 43 cents of each beer dollar that goes straight to the taxman for excise taxes, income taxes, property taxes, etc. - 43%

For something stronger, say Jack Daniels, the taxman’s share is $7.20, on average, out of every $10. – 72%

Go lighter and just drink Pepsi and it’s 35 percent of what you pay that goes for taxes at all levels. – 35%

Add some Marlboros and its 75 percent of the retail price that’s funneled directly into the state’s coffers. – 75%

Get home and hit the light switch and another $26 out of every $100 on the electric bill goes for government rather than electricity. – 26%

If you’re flying the next day, the taxman is up early and waiting at the airport, pocketing $40 on every $100 airline ticket. – 40%

And he’s there in the hotel lobby when you land, snatching $43 on every $100 of the hotel bill. – 43%

Go out to dinner and it’s another $28 of every $100 of the tab that ends up with the government rather than with the restaurant, the farmers, truckers and everyone else who worked together to produce the meal." – 28%

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