That is a good question. I know that when I first moved into California
and was relatively impecunious, I found the extra 7.5% "surprise"
outrageous. But I suspect the reason is that it changes so often, on a
county by county basis. In fact, I don't usually know offhand what the
local rate is, since I am back-and-forth between Santa Clara, San Mateo
and San Francisco counties so often; I just know they are all different.
paul.hunt1@virgin.net had this to say:
>Why *is* Federal tax included in the shelf price but local taxes only at the
>checkout? If a store had some checkouts either side of a state line I could
>understand it, but surely the store knows how much the local taxes are going
>to be when they price the goods, so why not include it in the shelf price?
>Is it historical like UK school holidays are in August because in medieval
>times they all vanished then to help with the harvest? Or political as in
>"Just look how much how much you are paying to those thieves in the Town
>Hall"?
>
>PaulH.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <ATWEDITOR@aol.com>
>To: <simon_atwork@hotmail.com>; <mgs@autox.team.net>
>Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 6:56 PM
>Subject: Re: Why does oil cost so much in the UK? (non lbc)
>
>
>> However, he was enraged when the 5% purchase tax was added at checkout. I
>> asked him why he preferred to have his 17% VAT hidden in the purchase
>price
>> rather than have to confront a 5% tax when buying. He really couldn't
>say.
>>
>> Jay Donoghue
>> 72B
>> 72B-GT
>> 66 Mustang
>>
>
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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