On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 21:48:02 -0400, Glenn Ashmore
wrote:

Last month I bought one of the company's older fleet cars for #2
daughter. Not exactly a "sweetheart deal" but definitely most favored
nation. ;-) Sent the title in for transfer and got a new tag. This
week I get a letter from the GA revenuers wanting to know the sales
price and asking for their pound of sales tax flesh. Casual sales of
cars have never been taxed before so I did some checking. It seems that
because the politicians are hungry for money in this budget crunch the D
of R has finally linked there computer system to Public Safety and are
tracking every title.

What has this to do with boatbuilding? DNR will be linked by next year.
Most of my material was purchased out of state or on eBay so I am
going to get hit bad. I think I will try to register before they get
linked.

This is just Georgia but most states are hunting for revenue now so
check out what your state is doing and plan accordingly if you have a
big project and be sure to have your receipts carefully documented
before you go to register your boat and get a HIN.


If the federal government reduces taxes, people applaud - not least
me. And if the government wants to make preemptive strikes on
suspect nations, then most of us tend to wave our flags.

In a nutshell: the feds can spend more and 'earn' (tax) less.

But states are different. Most of them are mandated to carry a
balanced budget. That means they cannot spend more than they get
in.

For some states - like California, that voted in an expanded public
education system before the economy collapsed, the costs under their
control are evident: schools, police, fire service, health services.

So they lay all off teachers, cops, firemen, slim out health services
etc., etc.

Can you blame them for getting creative on the 'income' side?
We all hate taxes, but we hate reductions in state supplied services
even more.

Good luck to the new governor of California: hope his audit uncovers
mucho waste - but even if he could make the trains run on time -
he will have REAL trouble holding services without tax increases.

So now you now the rest of the story - at least as relayed by an
economics prof who spoke on this topic recently - from that hotbed of
radical politics - Harvard (?). He also writes a regular column for
the yellow press - where all the bed-wetting liberals are supposed to
congregate - The New York Times (??)

So sad.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK