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Taxation without Representation
Jan. 14th, 2005 12:41 pmExcellent!
Instead of paying $10 a year for an Occupational Privilege Tax, I now get to pay $52 for an Emergency and Municipal Services Tax.
This tax goes to the City of Bethlehem, where I work - not where I live, not where I can vote on local policies.
On the plus side, I pay a similar sort of tax where I live, a "You're allowed to work" tax, based on how the national standard for what somewhat in my position makes on average, which, unfortunately, is significantly higher than what I'm making. Or at least it was, until outsourcing became popular and high-tech salaries slumped. Now it's only "much" higher.
As an added bonus, when I drive to work, I still get to slip and slide on roads where the City of Bethlehem either didn't plow or plowed *after* they packed down the snow into a layer of ice so any plowing is superfluous. And, not only that, but if I have need of emergency services (or an ambulance, at the least) I will be billed.
So *what* exactly am I paying for?
Instead of paying $10 a year for an Occupational Privilege Tax, I now get to pay $52 for an Emergency and Municipal Services Tax.
This tax goes to the City of Bethlehem, where I work - not where I live, not where I can vote on local policies.
On the plus side, I pay a similar sort of tax where I live, a "You're allowed to work" tax, based on how the national standard for what somewhat in my position makes on average, which, unfortunately, is significantly higher than what I'm making. Or at least it was, until outsourcing became popular and high-tech salaries slumped. Now it's only "much" higher.
As an added bonus, when I drive to work, I still get to slip and slide on roads where the City of Bethlehem either didn't plow or plowed *after* they packed down the snow into a layer of ice so any plowing is superfluous. And, not only that, but if I have need of emergency services (or an ambulance, at the least) I will be billed.
So *what* exactly am I paying for?
