MA: Mideast Budget 2012 (Statute)
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  MA: Mideast Budget 2012 (Statute)
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Queen Mum Inks.LWC
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« on: October 02, 2012, 01:38:07 PM »
« edited: November 24, 2012, 12:27:42 AM by Assemblyman & Queen Mum Inks.LWC »

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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2012, 05:16:08 PM »

The proposed corporate and regional income tax-rates are much too low, at least if we want a balanced budget.
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Queen Mum Inks.LWC
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« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2012, 06:12:55 PM »

We could have a flat income tax rate.  That is what many states in America do.  Maybe 5%?  That's about an average tax for Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, etc.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 06:21:04 PM »

We could have a flat income tax rate.  That is what many states in America do.  Maybe 5%?  That's about an average tax for Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, etc.

The problem with that is that someone making $1,000,000 per-year should be taxed more than a person making $13,000 per-year.  A flat tax would put an unfair burden on the poor.  If one person has eight cars and another has one car, the first person is being asked to sacrifice much less if everyone loses one car. 
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2012, 06:22:00 PM »

Income taxes are already extremely high from the federal government.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2012, 06:25:19 PM »

Income taxes are already extremely high from the federal government.

The answer to excessive federal taxation isn't to deprive the regional government of much needed revenue.  If you think the federal rates are too high than you should lobby for them to be lowered at the federal level. 
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« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2012, 07:22:54 PM »

Income taxes are already extremely high from the federal government.

^^^^



needed revenue.  If you think the federal rates are too high than you should lobby for them to be lowered at the federal level. 


This is a pretty bad argument. To suggest that we should lobby to decrease Federal income taxes just so we can increase regional taxes is ridiculous. Whether it be that the Federal Government is taxing you 99% and the Region is taxing you 1% (or vice versa) you're still paying 100%. The only difference is which level of Government will waste the money.
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Gass3268
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« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2012, 07:37:55 PM »

I would also be in favor of raising taxes on upper income levels and even adding more brackets. The corporate tax rate could also be raised a little bit, but not too much more then its current rate.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2012, 07:55:50 PM »

Income taxes are already extremely high from the federal government.

^^^^



needed revenue.  If you think the federal rates are too high than you should lobby for them to be lowered at the federal level. 


This is a pretty bad argument. To suggest that we should lobby to decrease Federal income taxes just so we can increase regional taxes is ridiculous. Whether it be that the Federal Government is taxing you 99% and the Region is taxing you 1% (or vice versa) you're still paying 100%. The only difference is which level of Government will waste the money.

I'm not saying that I agree with the argument (I agree that it is a terrible one).  My point was only that it makes little sense to say we should reduce regional income tax rates because federal income tax rates are too high and that to argue that we should do so relies on very weak reasoning.  I was only observing the implication of Governor Tmthforu94's reason for arguing against an increase in the regional income tax rate (unless I somehow misunderstood what he meant, in which case I retract the earlier post).  Regardless, the Mideast regional government ultimately needs more revenue if we are going to pass a balanced budget (or even anything close to that).  Budget shortfalls are a revenue problem first and a spending problem second (and sometimes only a revenue problem).
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2012, 07:58:40 PM »

I would also be in favor of raising taxes on upper income levels and even adding more brackets. The corporate tax rate could also be raised a little bit, but not too much more then its current rate.

You're right, there should definitely be more brackets.
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Queen Mum Inks.LWC
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« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2012, 10:54:50 PM »

We could have a flat income tax rate.  That is what many states in America do.  Maybe 5%?  That's about an average tax for Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, etc.

The problem with that is that someone making $1,000,000 per-year should be taxed more than a person making $13,000 per-year.  A flat tax would put an unfair burden on the poor.  If one person has eight cars and another has one car, the first person is being asked to sacrifice much less if everyone loses one car. 

Compared to the American system, our regional tax rates on the lower and middle class are actually lower.  Perhaps something like a Missouri system where from income from say $0-10,000, we increase the tax by .5% per $1,000.  Anyone making $10,000 or more would pay a flat rate of 5%.
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20RP12
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« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2012, 05:23:48 AM »

Let's not complicate the system more by adding more brackets and making the bottom 1% of people pay 1% of their income and the top 1% pay 99%. We should not be looking at income tax increases, nor should we be looking at gasoline tax increases. We cannot seek to make everyday life for middle class Mideasterners more difficult. When gas taxes increase, it does not harm the rich, only the middle class. We must be sane in approaching our budget shortfalls. At this point, we can only cut spending and wait until the economy improves.
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Gass3268
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« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2012, 07:17:52 AM »

Let's not complicate the system more by adding more brackets and making the bottom 1% of people pay 1% of their income and the top 1% pay 99%. We should not be looking at income tax increases, nor should we be looking at gasoline tax increases. We cannot seek to make everyday life for middle class Mideasterners more difficult. When gas taxes increase, it does not harm the rich, only the middle class. We must be sane in approaching our budget shortfalls. At this point, we can only cut spending and wait until the economy improves.

That's actually not a bad idea. I feel like Mr. X said it best:

Regardless, the Mideast regional government ultimately needs more revenue if we are going to pass a balanced budget (or even anything close to that).  Budget shortfalls are a revenue problem first and a spending problem second (and sometimes only a revenue problem).


I'll vote for a few cuts in spending, but for me its going to have to about 2:1 (added revenue vs. less spending)
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20RP12
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« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2012, 09:09:07 AM »


It actually is a bad idea, because even if we as a region tax the top income bracket about 75% of their income whilst the Federal Government is taxing them 25% of their income, then they have no money! Wee! Then we have loads of poor people and the economy isn't flowing and then we have to tax people to pay for a stimulus to try to get things going but incidentally no one has any money left then the Government has all the money and the citizens have no money so the Government is handing out money to all the poors to try and get the economy going and once it does we're gonna take all that money back? That sounds incredibly absurd to me. I can't possibly envision how that might work in any way, shape or form.
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Gass3268
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« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2012, 09:42:05 AM »


It actually is a bad idea, because even if we as a region tax the top income bracket about 75% of their income whilst the Federal Government is taxing them 25% of their income, then they have no money! Wee! Then we have loads of poor people and the economy isn't flowing and then we have to tax people to pay for a stimulus to try to get things going but incidentally no one has any money left then the Government has all the money and the citizens have no money so the Government is handing out money to all the poors to try and get the economy going and once it does we're gonna take all that money back? That sounds incredibly absurd to me. I can't possibly envision how that might work in any way, shape or form.

I was somewhat joking. Yet I do think we can add a few more tax brackets and double the rates of the top income brackets. 6.5% is way to low!
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2012, 07:04:30 PM »

I would like to propose that hot groceries be removed from exemption.

I would also like to propose putting the sales tax at an even 6%.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2012, 07:46:23 PM »
« Edited: October 03, 2012, 07:52:27 PM by Mideast Assemblyman Mr. X »

I would like to propose that hot groceries be removed from exemption.

I would also like to propose putting the sales tax at an even 6%.

I'm alright with raising the sales tax to 6% as long as regional income taxes are also raised on the upper-brackets, but I am definitely opposed to removing hot groceries from the exemption.  Regional Income Taxes for the wealthy must be increased before we consider eliminating important exemptions from the sales tax.  Unsustainably low regional income tax rates for the wealthy and unsustainably low corporate tax rates for big business must not be treated as sacred cows, if for no other reason than we simply can't afford it (or at least not if we are serious about passing an even remotely fair and fiscally responsible budget, let alone a balanced budget). 
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California8429
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« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2012, 09:17:51 PM »

I suggest cutting credits over raising/creating new tax brackets. If you guys are arguing for more tax brackets at the top that is simply ridiculous, we're talking about a handful of people. There's no use creating brackets for some hundred, a hundred, and then ten people in the region.

Federal taxes are burdensome, I strongly recommend you make the Mideast the most competitive region for economic and living purposes by keeping these tax rates.

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I have no problem with open debate and attacks of the flat or fair taxes, but you need to understand what a flat tax is to participate in a debate. A flat tax does not mean everyone pays the same dollar amount, they only pay the same percentage of their income. The rich gives a car, the poor gives a tire, they both don't give up the same dollar value sacrifice.
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Chancellor Tanterterg
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« Reply #18 on: October 03, 2012, 09:50:13 PM »

I suggest cutting credits over raising/creating new tax brackets. If you guys are arguing for more tax brackets at the top that is simply ridiculous, we're talking about a handful of people. There's no use creating brackets for some hundred, a hundred, and then ten people in the region.

Federal taxes are burdensome, I strongly recommend you make the Mideast the most competitive region for economic and living purposes by keeping these tax rates.

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I have no problem with open debate and attacks of the flat or fair taxes, but you need to understand what a flat tax is to participate in a debate. A flat tax does not mean everyone pays the same dollar amount, they only pay the same percentage of their income. The rich gives a car, the poor gives a tire, they both don't give up the same dollar value sacrifice.

I know what a flat tax is.  Even though the dollar amount is different, a person making $1,000,000 per-year who pays a 5% rate can much more easily afford to pay that 5% than a person who makes $20,000 per-year.
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #19 on: October 03, 2012, 10:19:26 PM »

I would be curious, Mr. X, on your opposition to removing hot groceries. That's how most states do it, Indiana for certain. Believe me, I worked in a grocery store for two years. Smiley

I would be open to a balanced effort of raising sales taxes, cutting credits, and cutting overall spending. However, I cannot support increasing our income taxes - Mideasterners already have enough pain on this front from the federal government.
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Queen Mum Inks.LWC
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« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2012, 11:49:25 PM »

I am opposed to any sales tax increase.  I think our best way of raising revenue is making a flat income tax.  If we want to add a higher bracket for those making more money, I'd be ok with that within reason; however, we won't eliminate our deficit without raising some taxes on middle class people.  A 0.5% tax on 50-70k is practically unheard of in American states.
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #21 on: October 12, 2012, 10:50:15 PM »

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I would like to debate this amendment, bringing the sales tax up to 6%.
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Gass3268
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« Reply #22 on: October 12, 2012, 11:13:43 PM »

What we need is a more progressive tax system with more tax brackets.

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20RP12
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« Reply #23 on: October 13, 2012, 08:31:44 AM »

What we need is a more progressive tax system with more tax brackets.

No, we don't.
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tmthforu94
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« Reply #24 on: October 13, 2012, 09:34:28 AM »

Can we discuss the sales tax for now?
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