a new form of state taxation

[dave1949]

One of the interesting things about living in small town in Maine is looking at the income and expenditures.

The total excise tax collected on motor vehicles was $102,781.00 plus $1,832.00 on RV's. $642.14 for snowmobile registrations was given back to the local snowmobile club for their trail maintenance. $43,006.47 was received from a state Local Roads Assistance program. The total net income from those fees is $146,977.33 for 2012.

In 2012 the town spent $135,169.34 for summer road maintenance, $55,661.48 for winter road maintenance of which ~$28,000.00 was for salt and sand, $4,977.21 to operate the town garage, and $29,113.24 on road equipment operation (two plow trucks, a 1-ton, and a CAT loader backhoe). Those figures include wages and payroll taxes. The total spent on roads was $224,921.27, or $77,934.94 more than collected for roads.

The ~$78K difference comes out of property taxes for the most part.

If I look at the line item expenditures, I don't see much fat. The repair and maintenance costs could be lower probably--if we paid a professional mechanic and had a real town garage that all the vehicles would fit in--which we cannot afford. The salt, sand and fuel amounts can easily vary by $30K depending on the winter and the going price of those things.

The 2013 budget includes another $16K for payments on the new plow truck. Plow trucks are expensive and they get used hard.

It all adds up and I don't see any clear way to make much of a dent in it.

 

[jinman]

The total dollar figure of all taxes collected in Wise County, Texas is more than the total payrolls of all businesses in the county. If it were not for the commuters who drive daily to Dallas, Ft. Worth, and surrounding areas, this county would implode. I suspect the same is true for rural areas all over the US. I believe the total collected funds from vehicle registrations in our county is between $2 million and $2.5 million (total pop. is around 60k people). Probably 20% of those fees are the salaries and facility expenses of the local title and registration office. That 20% is just a guess that might be on the low side. I do know that the auto registration and title office is a small older frame building, but the county real estate tax assessor-collector's office is a beautiful new brick building by comparison. None of this is to make any point except an interesting comparison.

 

[Clint S]

And now in NY if you get 6 points on your license within 18 months they will charge you $100 a year for 3 years for a driver responsibility assessment (more points = more $$$$). My sister got a ticket for rolling through a stop sign and 16 months later got nailed for the same thing. 6 points. This is on top of the court fees, fines , and possible insurance hikes. It is just an excuse for NY to get a little more money for no reason other than they can

 

[dave1949]

....

I do know that the auto registration and title office is a small older frame building, but the county real estate tax assessor-collector's office is a beautiful new brick building by comparison. None of this is to make any point except an interesting comparison.

It is interesting, we used to spend our money on beautiful libraries and court houses.

Our town hall is a ranch on a slab type building about the size of the house Eddie built for his parents this summer, and not nearly as nice. The town office part of that building is room about 12x16, the rest of the building functions as a community activity and meeting hall with a kitchen included. For private functions, a rental fee is collected.

I have as much garage floor space here at home as the town garage does, plus their ceiling isn't high enough to raise the dump beds. I sure can't say they have been throwing our tax money around on fancy buildings.

 

[JakeBrake]

Around here the annual vehicle registation (car tag) is based on the vehicle value. The value bottoms out at 10 years. So the taxes latest taxes (tags) my vehicles are:

95 GMC K1500 $24.28
98 Cavalier $32.08
01 Lesabre $32.08
Utility trailer $27.18

Many people pay extra for custom tags. You can't say taxes are too high when people willing pay extra for custom tags.

Back in the day one of our illustrious politicians said that people were keeping their vehicles over 10 years to avoid paying the addtional taxes on newer vehicles. He wanted to inaugurate a standard fee. Thankfully, that didn't happen (yet).

 

[Egbert]

You can't say taxes are too high when people willing pay extra for custom tags.

Sure you can. What someone is "willing" to pay has little to do with what others are "forced" to pay through confiscatory taxation levels.

How many times is your money taxed? Fed, SS, State, City, property, licenses, fees, penalties ... and on and on and on. How many of those taxes could be defined as "double taxation" on the same dollars?

Completely unacceptable, on top of that outrage, government has NO INVIOLATE RESTRICTIONS about taking/spending more. Those in elected/appointed positions that routinely spend into deficits should be physically removed from office, flogged publicly, then locked up for the rest of their lives ... at a minimum.

 

[ultrarunner]

Here in Ohio you can get a historical plate. One time fee of $10 for a vehicle over 25 years old. Of course, you are not supposed to use it as an every day driver. They stipulate "club use" or to and from auto shows, but I have seen some severe bending of that rule.

The State is getting less from me...

At one time I had 13 vehicles registered with tags... when the fees went up, I dropped most to non-op status... still a one time $18 fee not to use the vehicle...

My friends in Oregon have very low cost antique/collector tags...

CA has these plates... and they cost more!

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I know Oklahoma used to base their registration on the vehicle's value, so it was pretty expensive for new ones, but I don't know if that's still the case or not. Texas based theirs on vehicle weight.

We just bought a new SUV; first year tag and tax = $1050.

 

[hr3]

Check out this new tax in Maryland,, I guess people are going to start paying a tax on rain .... Maryland Soon to Roll Out the Rain Tax | Tax Foundation

 

[MotorSeven]

My 2003 Chev 1 ton dually here is $24 to the state, $20 to my county for a total of $44. Utility trailers are not required to be tagged unless you travel out of state with them. We have no income tax.