Quote:
Originally Posted by VRPdommy
fair to all
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as long as that does not impact my corp tax rate
for real though, lived in a few countries and one had almost NO tax except for import (aka sales) taxes which impact the poorest the most
in Turks and Caicos a head of celery cost $5 USD, a handful of packaged grapes cost $10, mangoes were $3 per, watermelon was $5-$10 for even a package of slices let alone a whole one which was never less than $20
the tap water was orange and smelled like burning hair so everyone had to buy that too for drinking and washing face and brushing teeth.
obesity there was out of this world rampant with NO local old people. they just die by the time they are 50 from living on cheap fried chicken and fries. I don't eat nearly as much as I should and I always choose the cheapest options but still spent almost a bill per day on food that was just fruit/veg and tofu. I'm not kidding.
plus on the local side of the island (basically a rock with no soil, if you want a garden you gotta import that) every time it rained all the local roads got flooded out and many homes as well if it was a storm that poured more than an inch or two
and I got better health care at a lower cost than people
born there as I was on my then partner's private insurance provided by his biz that paid NO tax in TCI except for a pittance per employee that in our case worked out to bus fare each month
can you imagine if, with all those billions flowing through this tax haven, everyone who was there paid their share?
health care, maybe a university (there if you can't afford to board to school elsewhere good luck kid), some infrastructure, maybe import some soil so peeps can grow their own stuff?
then I moved to Belize which has a very low flat tax rate that didn't even apply to me as I was not an official resident. insane right?
I got free health care there one day when I got REALLY sick with food poisoning and could not stop puking and needed an IV to rehydrate me. I waited a few days before going stupidly hoping it would pass on its own and was in really bad shape by the time I went to the clinic. The policy of the BZ gov is no one is ever turned away and health care facilities there are not set up to accept payment.
I paid the doctor anyway in cash despite her protests and she told me she'd use the cash to give meds needed to peeps who couldn't afford the pharmacy costs for that stuff.
also cleanest streets in either N or S Amer, no kill pet shelters for strays funded by the gov, a
look the other way policy towards those in the informal work sector or those who are low income and owe but do not file, functional infrastructure even in local housing zones
no nation is perfect and BZ def needs more income supports for low to middle income families (not everyone has a Gramma to provide free day care and school uniforms are not cheap) but still, miles ahead of TCI in actually providing services that are not only needed for people but also for a functional society and business.
I wonder why *rodin thinker pose*
Now I'm in JA and here to stay. Already have my tax number and working on my citizenship with my ex who to his credit is honoring that.
Tax rate here is almost on par with what I spent back in CA after charitable deductions and I'm thrilled. I want to contribute to the society in which I live, to enhance the society I choose as home.
Having seen the difference can't understand those who don't want to contribute to stuff that enhances the society in which they live. in a manner
proportional to income. some peeps with cash remind me of dragons hoarding their gold. for what? nothing that serves anyone.
A weird case with the US as so much of it goes to military spending and policing/imprisonment institutions that are insane but still, y'all know those roads, social services we ALL use and potable water don't maintain themselves right?
♫ I get to pay taxes again ♫
=)