'Complete Our Streets' Committee Recommendations

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I don't care if my sales tax rate goes up or down by city tax, county tax or state tax.

Well, maybe you should care.  One tax get's you an arena that you may use 4 or 5 times a year.  And another gets you streets that you use every day for work and everything else in your life.

quote:  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't just go up as a result of Vision 2025.  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't go up for Four to Fix.  Don't try to tell me it didn't go up for.......

I'm not trying to tell you that.  In fact, I just said that.  The County's sales tax rose to 1.017% precisely for those reasons.  The fact remains, the city hasn't raised your sales tax since 1983.  Are you going to hold the city accountable for something the county does?  'Cause that sounds like what you are trying to do.  

quote:And please look at the big picture, not just little bits.

Those "little bits" are what some like to call "facts", and they are pesky.  The big picture is, your tax burden is low.  Most Americans pay more than you do.  So, are you willing to let this city go down the tubes because you feel that your taxes are high, even though the facts seem to indicate otherwise?  

quote:The city's total expenditures is at record high levels.  Don't just look at 2 cents worth of expenditures, look at the entire picture.

Don't be mislead.  The two pennies, and the 3rd penny, of sales tax rise with inflation, no quicker, no slower.  A dollar today does not buy what it did yesterday...period.  So, this "record high" cr*p is exactly that, cr*p.  The city hasn't raised your taxes since 1983.  And yet, many of the things that it takes to run a city HAVE risen faster than inflation: concrete, asphalt, health insurance, real estate, etc.  Tulsa can't buy cheap goods from China to make up the difference.  Same piece of pie, but that pie buys a lot less.  What do you think happens after 24 years of this?  You try to stretch your dollar as far as it can go.  And, when you reach the limit, you start making sacrifices.  I am trying to look at the big picture, Wilbur.  And this city seems to do a better job that many in giving me some things to study.  I'm trying to figure this out on my own, I don't know much about this kind of business, but as a citizen, I think I should.  So, I'm learning.  Are you?

As far as holding city officials accountable,
let's take a short trip down Memory Lane:

Former Mayor LaFortune was one of the chief cheerleaders for the Vision 2025 COUNTY-wide tax, which got Tulsa the downtown Arena which we don't actually need (and built the Rooneys and Flints another layer to their fortunes, which they definitely DO NEED to FEED their GREED).  

And, the city will have to expend operating funds to clean, guard, heat and cool that White Elephant for as long as it sits them, mostly empty. Occassionally, it will be full, like when they give the house away to get a celebrity like Celine Dion.  Uh, but SMG isn't exactly giving away the tickets, are they?  $49.50 for the CHEAPEST ticket?

It won't be full with either Arena Football or the Ice Oilers, either.  They can't even half fill their Maxwell Assembly Center venue.  

Letting the county carve into basically the ONLY funding source for city operations was stupid for our former city "leaders" to support.  Dumb and Dumber.

County government's poaching on the city sales tax territory started with the Whirlpool Sales Tax.  Remember.  It's all about jobs.  And, Corporate Welfare.  

Continued with the Jail Sales Tax to fund a Super-Max Jail.  

And, was renewed 2x under the 4-to-Fix-the-County Sales tax.

Rising Real Estate prices the past 10 years already made Tulsa County government rich.  They haven't been able to spend it fast enough, but they sure TRIED real hard with CCA running the money-pit jail.

Now, that the city has let the streets go to hell through mismanagement, and they feel they've softened us up from a few years of REALLY bad streets, they want to Punish the Innocent by raising our sales and property taxes by a huge amount.

All because Terry Young, Dick Crawford, Roger Randall, Susan Savage, Bill LaFortune, and Kathy Taylor's mismanagement?  And, throw in Charles Hardt, too.  He should be fired, along with his chief deputies.

New Mayor Kathy Taylor, who inherited the road problems, showed she too was astoundingly DUMB in supporting the County River Tax, because if it had passed, it would have again sucked the Oxygen totally out of any attempt by the city to raise sales taxes.  

Broken Arrow's city leadership could see that problem was going to hurt their future sales tax grabs, and they vehemently fought against the Kaiser County River Tax.

And, the Kaiser County River Tax may after all still killed City of Tulsa's chances to raise sales taxes so soon after its failure.  

People aren't really so dumb as to forget that a mere 60 days ago, our local leaders were shouting just like CHICKEN LITTLE, that the sky would fall if we didn't pass the Kaiser River Tax.  

The Kaiser County River Tax was their #1 Priority.  NOT streets.

Well, Tulsa County did NOT pass it Oct. 9, and the sky did not fall, and the Arkansas river is still, there if not actually flowing there nonetheless.  

And, I want to thank the Kaiser Family Foundation for widening the bike and jogging trails.  Thank you.  

Now because the River Tax failed, you just don't have Atkins-Benham (one of the active promoters) vacumning money out our pockets moving sand around in the River.

Last little memory:  I'll just bet Beeco and Sherwood Construction are in orgasmic ectasy over the proposed $1.6 BILLION in road construction taxes.

For them, that would be AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF FEAST.

[]

[TeeDub]

It also helps the city when they change their own city sales tax code.   Prior to July 31, 2006 the  law required 33.3 % of the sales tax revenue to go into capital improvements.....   Now, only 15% needs to do that.

As for value of the dollar, and the fact that they haven't raised rates in years, you did not address the fact that not only has consumer spending gone up (thereby raising the amount of revenue collected) but the value of the dollar has worked for/against both sides evenly.   While yes, there is inflation, it effects both the cost of consumer goods (and therefore tax revenue) and the purchasing power of that 3% evenly.

[TeeDub]

I figured I had better back up my statements...   See section 118.
http://www.cityauditorphilwood.com/ordinances/43-TAX.pdf

I guess they needed that extra revenue to make up for the loss in city jobs.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by TeeDub


It also helps the city when they change their own city sales tax code.   Prior to July 31, 2006 the  law required 33.3 % of the sales tax revenue to go into capital improvements.....   Now, only 15% needs to do that.

As for value of the dollar, and the fact that they haven't raised rates in years, you did not address the fact that not only has consumer spending gone up (thereby raising the amount of revenue collected) but the value of the dollar has worked for/against both sides evenly.   While yes, there is inflation, it effects both the cost of consumer goods (and therefore tax revenue) and the purchasing power of that 3% evenly.

The citizens of Oklahoma (and Tulsa) need TABOR to control the tax-and-spend Crack Addicts that are selected by the local ruling Oligarch Families.

TABOR is simple.  NO tax should increase greater than the proportion of increase in population and inflation combined.  

NEVER.

You can see how important it is for the Tax Vampires to kill TABOR.  They are even trying to IMPRISON three of the organizers on the flimsiest of charges.

The Wall Street Journal even took note of Mr. Edmundsen legal charade.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

As far as holding city officials accountable,
let's take a short trip down Memory Lane:

Former Mayor LaFortune was one of the chief cheerleaders for the Vision 2025 COUNTY-wide tax...

He was held accountable, don't you remember?  The regionalist was booted, in spite of the endorsement from hawks like Bates.  You'll get no argument from me about the arena...it won't be the cure-all that they claimed it will.  Duh.  I am pleased, however, to see that the city is trying to make the best of it.  The sidewalk improvements  will really help downtown.  The secondary improvements may end up sparking a revitalization after all.  I'm more optimistic than I used to be.  

quote:Rising Real Estate prices the past 10 years already made Tulsa County government rich.

Yes.  And the county grew it's budget by 17% this year.  It's darn easy to find fault in them.  But it won't fix our streets now, will it?  

quote:And, the Kaiser County River Tax may after all still killed City of Tulsa's chances to raise sales taxes so soon after its failure.

Maybe.  We'll see.  This is a different animal, IMO.  

quote:People aren't really so dumb as to forget that a mere 60 days ago, our local leaders were shouting just like CHICKEN LITTLE, that the sky would fall if we didn't pass the Kaiser River Tax.

If you will recall, I was on the fence for months on that one.  I never believed that and I never said that.  In the end, the free private money prompted me to vote for it.  Granted, I was more than happy, after the fact, to rail on a few morons who suddenly realized they had turned down a $117 million, and thought that they should rewrite history in order to cover their butts.  

quote:The Kaiser County River Tax was their #1 Priority.  NOT streets.

$117 million, dude.  It gets attention.  So do giant potholes.

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by TeeDub


It also helps the city when they change their own city sales tax code.   Prior to July 31, 2006 the  law required 33.3 % of the sales tax revenue to go into capital improvements.....   Now, only 15% needs to do that.

The third penny does not go for salaries, it goes for capital stuff.  One--Two--Three.  33.3333333333333333%...still the same.

quote:As for value of the dollar, and the fact that they haven't raised rates in years, you did not address the fact that not only has consumer spending gone up (thereby raising the amount of revenue collected) but the value of the dollar has worked for/against both sides evenly.   While yes, there is inflation, it effects both the cost of consumer goods (and therefore tax revenue) and the purchasing power of that 3% evenly.

No, not when the prices of things that a city needs to operate outpace the CPI. Look:



The black line is the CPI.  Inflation (CPI) from 2002 to 2006 = 3%.  Construction costs in the same period rose 13%.  Do you see the differential, or is it still obscured by hot air?

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

The citizens of Oklahoma (and Tulsa) need TABOR to control the tax-and-spend Crack Addicts that are selected by the local ruling Oligarch Families.

TABOR is simple.  NO tax should increase greater than the proportion of increase in population and inflation combined.  

NEVER.

You can see how important it is for the Tax Vampires to kill TABOR.  They are even trying to IMPRISON three of the organizers on the flimsiest of charges.

The Wall Street Journal even took note of Mr. Edmundsen legal charade.

You have got to be kiddin' me.  First off, wrong thread, TABOInsanity is state level.  Go start a thread on TABOR and I'll be more than happy to tell you how you are wrong.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

The citizens of Oklahoma (and Tulsa) need TABOR to control the tax-and-spend Crack Addicts that are selected by the local ruling Oligarch Families.

TABOR is simple.  NO tax should increase greater than the proportion of increase in population and inflation combined.  

NEVER.

You can see how important it is for the Tax Vampires to kill TABOR.  They are even trying to IMPRISON three of the organizers on the flimsiest of charges.

The Wall Street Journal even took note of Mr. Edmundsen legal charade.

You have got to be kiddin' me.  First off, wrong thread, TABOInsanity is state level.  Go start a thread on TABOR and I'll be more than happy to tell you how you are wrong.

First off, TRY to be nicer.  I'm not your enemy.  Merely a friendly Bear.

Second, the TABOR comment is directly related to the APPETITE For local (and state officials) to ALWAYS propose raising taxes to fix problems their own actions (or misadministration) have caused.

Third, we can debate why Mayor MisFortunate lost re-election until the cows come home.  I suspect the real reason the GOP voted only 41% for him in the GOP Mayoral Primary was because he RAN as a Reformer against the RECORD Of former Mayor Susan Savage, yet once elected, he proceeded to REFORM:  

NADA.  

He was a money-establishment mouthpiece with a well-known last name. that tried to thwart any reform actitivies of a re-invigorated BI-PARTISAN Reform City Coalition.

Remember Cameron and Reynolds, anyone?

Remember Margaret Erling and $100K lobbying job on the city payroll?  

Remember low-rate 40-year Water deals with Bixby and Owasso to subsidize their housing developers?  

I suspect that promoting the Vision 2025 Sales Tax did cost him some votes from his GOP base.  But, he had seriously disenfranchised whatever base long before the Mayoral Election.  

When an INCUMBEMBENT Mayor gets only 41% of the vote in a GOP Primary then he's a certifiable Dead Man Walking...in the general election.

Fourth, my reference to Chicken Little was to your eponymous Nursery Rhyme relative: Chicken Little of "The Sky is Falling" Chicken Little fame.  

Not the TulsaNow.net Forum FB Detractor infamous Chicken Little.  

Mistaken identity, there, CL.

[^]

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

...TABOR comment is directly related...

Nope.  Wrong.  Different level of government.  Different can of worms.  It's off-topic.  Start one if you want.

quote:Third, we can debate why Mayor MisFortunate lost re-election until the cows come home.

Not necessary, because it won't fix our streets.  Refer to the thread title, "'Complete Our Streets' Committee Recommendations".

quote:Remember Cameron and Reynolds, anyone?

Regionalism is, directly, a reason that Tulsa does not have the extra money.  People in the 'burbs used to shop in Tulsa, now they shop in their hometown.  This sales-tax "leakage" has made it more difficult to fix the streets, no doubt. Internet sales have also taken a toll.

quote:Fourth, my reference to Chicken Little was to your eponymous Nursery Rhyme relative: Chicken Little of "The Sky is Falling" Chicken Little fame.

Fine.  Apology accepted.[] FB, you're getting your can kicked all around the block on this streets issue, and all we've got is a couple of documents from the city council and SOS committee.  Changing the subject is not an option.  Go study.

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I don't care if my sales tax rate goes up or down by city tax, county tax or state tax.

Well, maybe you should care.  One tax get's you an arena that you may use 4 or 5 times a year.  And another gets you streets that you use every day for work and everything else in your life.

quote:  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't just go up as a result of Vision 2025.  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't go up for Four to Fix.  Don't try to tell me it didn't go up for.......

I'm not trying to tell you that.  In fact, I just said that.  The County's sales tax rose to 1.017% precisely for those reasons.  The fact remains, the city hasn't raised your sales tax since 1983.  Are you going to hold the city accountable for something the county does?  'Cause that sounds like what you are trying to do.  

quote:And please look at the big picture, not just little bits.

Those "little bits" are what some like to call "facts", and they are pesky.  The big picture is, your tax burden is low.  Most Americans pay more than you do.  So, are you willing to let this city go down the tubes because you feel that your taxes are high, even though the facts seem to indicate otherwise?  

quote:The city's total expenditures is at record high levels.  Don't just look at 2 cents worth of expenditures, look at the entire picture.

Don't be mislead.  The two pennies, and the 3rd penny, of sales tax rise with inflation, no quicker, no slower.  A dollar today does not buy what it did yesterday...period.  So, this "record high" cr*p is exactly that, cr*p.  The city hasn't raised your taxes since 1983.  And yet, many of the things that it takes to run a city HAVE risen faster than inflation: concrete, asphalt, health insurance, real estate, etc.  Tulsa can't buy cheap goods from China to make up the difference.  Same piece of pie, but that pie buys a lot less.  What do you think happens after 24 years of this?  You try to stretch your dollar as far as it can go.  And, when you reach the limit, you start making sacrifices.  I am trying to look at the big picture, Wilbur.  And this city seems to do a better job than many in giving me some things to study.  I'm trying to figure this out on my own, I don't know much about this kind of business, but as a citizen, I think I should.  So, I'm learning.  Are you?

We should all care that our sales taxes, and all other taxes for that matter, continue to rise and we end up further in the hole.  While a portion of the recent sales tax increases are considered county taxes, the city is getting to spend the majority of it, and, like you said, will be stuck with the expenditures of the arena.

And while you may be able to say the city hasn't raised sales taxes in 23 years, look at other items the city charges for that have raised.  Don't forget, you also pay city taxes on your electric bill, water, gas bill, phone bill, cell phone bill, cable tv bill, ......  and fees for other items.  These aren't sales taxes, but they are all considered income used by the government (which equal taxes).

And don't tell me I pay less taxes then everyone else.  I keep track of every tax I pay, and as of today, for 2007, 48.1% of my total expenditures have gone to taxes.  We live off my wife's salary and we use my total salary to pay taxes.  Plus, this year we will get nailed by AMT (yes, more taxes)  And you are suggesting we should pay more!

Feel free to donate as much as you wish.

Two years ago this city said our priority was an arena (and has been a priority for how many years?  How many times did we have to vote on that thing?)  Now we're all stuck with that tax for several years.  Then a new city hall was a priority.  Then the river was a priority.  Now all of a sudden, streets are the priority, but we haven't paid off all the other priorities yet.  And after the streets priority, what's next?  Can't wait 'till they tell us a new city building will be needed downtown (after the move to city hall).  Just wait, that will be another priority.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

I don't care if my sales tax rate goes up or down by city tax, county tax or state tax.

Well, maybe you should care.  One tax get's you an arena that you may use 4 or 5 times a year.  And another gets you streets that you use every day for work and everything else in your life.

quote:  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't just go up as a result of Vision 2025.  Don't try to tell anyone it didn't go up for Four to Fix.  Don't try to tell me it didn't go up for.......

I'm not trying to tell you that.  In fact, I just said that.  The County's sales tax rose to 1.017% precisely for those reasons.  The fact remains, the city hasn't raised your sales tax since 1983.  Are you going to hold the city accountable for something the county does?  'Cause that sounds like what you are trying to do.  

quote:And please look at the big picture, not just little bits.

Those "little bits" are what some like to call "facts", and they are pesky.  The big picture is, your tax burden is low.  Most Americans pay more than you do.  So, are you willing to let this city go down the tubes because you feel that your taxes are high, even though the facts seem to indicate otherwise?  

quote:The city's total expenditures is at record high levels.  Don't just look at 2 cents worth of expenditures, look at the entire picture.

Don't be mislead.  The two pennies, and the 3rd penny, of sales tax rise with inflation, no quicker, no slower.  A dollar today does not buy what it did yesterday...period.  So, this "record high" cr*p is exactly that, cr*p.  The city hasn't raised your taxes since 1983.  And yet, many of the things that it takes to run a city HAVE risen faster than inflation: concrete, asphalt, health insurance, real estate, etc.  Tulsa can't buy cheap goods from China to make up the difference.  Same piece of pie, but that pie buys a lot less.  What do you think happens after 24 years of this?  You try to stretch your dollar as far as it can go.  And, when you reach the limit, you start making sacrifices.  I am trying to look at the big picture, Wilbur.  And this city seems to do a better job than many in giving me some things to study.  I'm trying to figure this out on my own, I don't know much about this kind of business, but as a citizen, I think I should.  So, I'm learning.  Are you?

We should all care that our sales taxes, and all other taxes for that matter, continue to rise and we end up further in the hole.  While a portion of the recent sales tax increases are considered county taxes, the city is getting to spend the majority of it, and, like you said, will be stuck with the expenditures of the arena.

And while you may be able to say the city hasn't raised sales taxes in 23 years, look at other items the city charges for that have raised.  Don't forget, you also pay city taxes on your electric bill, water, gas bill, phone bill, cell phone bill, cable tv bill, ......  and fees for other items.  These aren't sales taxes, but they are all considered income used by the government (which equal taxes).

And don't tell me I pay less taxes then everyone else.  I keep track of every tax I pay, and as of today, for 2007, 48.1% of my total expenditures have gone to taxes.  We live off my wife's salary and we use my total salary to pay taxes.  Plus, this year we will get nailed by AMT (yes, more taxes)  And you are suggesting we should pay more!

Feel free to donate as much as you wish.

Two years ago this city said our priority was an arena (and has been a priority for how many years?  How many times did we have to vote on that thing?)  Now we're all stuck with that tax for several years.  Then a new city hall was a priority.  Then the river was a priority.  Now all of a sudden, streets are the priority, but we haven't paid off all the other priorities yet.  And after the streets priority, what's next?  Can't wait 'till they tell us a new city building will be needed downtown (after the move to city hall).  Just wait, that will be another priority.

Tulsa COUNTY residents will be paying 6/10 higher sales taxes until 2017 to pay off Vision 2025.

Vision 2025 was a sinecure for the Rooney and Flint financial interests.

4-to-Fix-the-County was Matrix and Flint's sinecure.

The Kaiser River Tax was planned to help line the pockets of Atkins-Benham, and You-Know-Who's bank as non-competitive bid bond underwriter, just like they did in Vision 2025.

The proposed new Bond/Sales Tax grab is providing orgasmic ecstasy fantasies to Sherwood Construction, Beeco, and the associated cabal of crony contractors and sub-contractors who get all the local street work.

Who said: Crime Doesn't Pay?

[Chicken Little]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

We should all care that our sales taxes, and all other taxes for that matter, continue to rise and we end up further in the hole.  While a portion of the recent sales tax increases are considered county taxes, the city is getting to spend the majority of it, and, like you said, will be stuck with the expenditures of the arena.

And while you may be able to say the city hasn't raised sales taxes in 23 years, look at other items the city charges for that have raised.  Don't forget, you also pay city taxes on your electric bill, water, gas bill, phone bill, cell phone bill, cable tv bill, ......  and fees for other items.  These aren't sales taxes, but they are all considered income used by the government (which equal taxes).

And don't tell me I pay less taxes then everyone else.  I keep track of every tax I pay, and as of today, for 2007, 48.1% of my total expenditures have gone to taxes.  We live off my wife's salary and we use my total salary to pay taxes.  Plus, this year we will get nailed by AMT (yes, more taxes)  And you are suggesting we should pay more!

Feel free to donate as much as you wish.

Two years ago this city said our priority was an arena (and has been a priority for how many years?  How many times did we have to vote on that thing?)  Now we're all stuck with that tax for several years.  Then a new city hall was a priority.  Then the river was a priority.  Now all of a sudden, streets are the priority, but we haven't paid off all the other priorities yet.  And after the streets priority, what's next?  Can't wait 'till they tell us a new city building will be needed downtown (after the move to city hall).  Just wait, that will be another priority.

Who says I don't care about taxes?  The better question is, why are you willing to let your city crater, literally?  Is it because you are mad about the AMT?  Are broken struts, bulging sidewalls, and warped rims your way "sticking it to the man"?  Seems costly, and a little cryptic.  I mean, you could try the direct approach and just call your Republican senators and ask to stop holding up the bill that would raise the threshold.

That crap on your electric bill is rent that AEP pays the city in order to protect their monopoly.  They call it a tax so that you will be mad at somebody else, but it's just a cost of doing business that they pass through to you the consumer.  And water is not a tax, it's a service.  Gimme a break.  No wonder you are paying 48.1% in taxes...everthing's a tax to you.  Is winter a tax?  How about when you spill soup on your sweater, is that a tax, too?

[TURobY]

With all the negativity, you'd wonder why anybody would even live here... [xx(]

[spoonbill]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

We should all care that our sales taxes, and all other taxes for that matter, continue to rise and we end up further in the hole.  While a portion of the recent sales tax increases are considered county taxes, the city is getting to spend the majority of it, and, like you said, will be stuck with the expenditures of the arena.

And while you may be able to say the city hasn't raised sales taxes in 23 years, look at other items the city charges for that have raised.  Don't forget, you also pay city taxes on your electric bill, water, gas bill, phone bill, cell phone bill, cable tv bill, ......  and fees for other items.  These aren't sales taxes, but they are all considered income used by the government (which equal taxes).

And don't tell me I pay less taxes then everyone else.  I keep track of every tax I pay, and as of today, for 2007, 48.1% of my total expenditures have gone to taxes.  We live off my wife's salary and we use my total salary to pay taxes.  Plus, this year we will get nailed by AMT (yes, more taxes)  And you are suggesting we should pay more!

Feel free to donate as much as you wish.

Two years ago this city said our priority was an arena (and has been a priority for how many years?  How many times did we have to vote on that thing?)  Now we're all stuck with that tax for several years.  Then a new city hall was a priority.  Then the river was a priority.  Now all of a sudden, streets are the priority, but we haven't paid off all the other priorities yet.  And after the streets priority, what's next?  Can't wait 'till they tell us a new city building will be needed downtown (after the move to city hall).  Just wait, that will be another priority.

Who says I don't care about taxes?  The better question is, why are you willing to let your city crater, literally?  Is it because you are mad about the AMT?  Are broken struts, bulging sidewalls, and warped rims your way "sticking it to the man"?  Seems costly, and a little cryptic.  I mean, you could try the direct approach and just call your Republican senators and ask to stop holding up the bill that would raise the threshold.

That crap on your electric bill is rent that AEP pays the city in order to protect their monopoly.  They call it a tax so that you will be mad at somebody else, but it's just a cost of doing business that they pass through to you the consumer.  And water is not a tax, it's a service.  Gimme a break.  No wonder you are paying 48.1% in taxes...everthing's a tax to you.  Is winter a tax?  How about when you spill soup on your sweater, is that a tax, too?

STOP THE SWEATER TAX!!!!

Except for this guy-

[Chicken Little]

No streets until the Sweater Tax is repealed!
(The Wil Wheaton tax, however, should be doubled).