Linn, I've got a buddy here at Hensley Airpark in NE TN who lives here from
the 1st of May through October, then returns to his Airpark home in Ft. Me
yers, FL. Now that's the best of both worlds. It does get cold here in wint
er (our pond froze solid this winter), but winter flying over the mountains
has it's rewards as well; I really enjoyed flying my RV8 over the ski reso
rts early in the AM when the air was crisp and cold - great lift - but I ha
ve to admit I'm a TN native and love this place. It's not for everyone thou
gh, it's small town America, some of the people have accents that even I ha
ve difficulty understanding and the Ammenities aren't on par with CA, DE, N
J or some of the other places I've lived, but it's HOME. And those mtn view
s are fantastic!
Walt Shipley=C2- (sorry for the ramble, definitely DO NOT ARCHIVE)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linn Walters" <pitts_pilot@bellsouth.net>
To: rv-list@matronics.com
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 9:41:17 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: Taxes
I've been following this thread with a look into different perspectives.=C2
- High taxes are one thing ...... but the aesthetics are also important a
s Ian alluded to.=C2- I live in FL.=C2- It's so flat that it must have
been ironed when it was installed.=C2- But I like mountains!=C2- What a
m I doing in FL???=C2- Well, for 95% of the time I can fly on any day of
the week.=C2- Sure, we have thunderstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes, but
they don't stick around for weeks at a time.=C2- It could be a little coo
ler in the summer, little less humidity, or a little warmer in the winter .
.... but notice I said 'little'.=C2- Not unbearable.=C2-
I grouse about taxes only because it's wasted by the Gov't. I don't have st
ate income tax in FL, but I pay taxes on the following:
Federal income tax
fuel (1-2 pennies locally plus fed excise tax)
county general fund
library
mosquito control
recreational tax=C2- (for parks etc)
schools .... actually three different ones, and I don't have kids in school
!)
fire control
law enforcement
roads & bridges ..... in addition to the fuel taxes above
a water management district that I can't get rid of
Fl inland navigation district (the intracoastal is right next door)
sebastian inlet district ..... access to the ocean is not too far away
environmental endangered lands .... four separate taxes
South Brevard recreation district ..... in addition to the rec tax above
solid waste collection
solid waste disposal
stormwater control fee
emergency medical service (part of our fire department above!)
local water management district ..... and the two others above
Which all comes to less than 2% of my property assessed value ..... not a r
eal big deal.
My Fed taxes, however,=C2- run in the 30% region because I have the incom
e to enjoy my high priced hobby.=C2- This does rankle me, because of the
waste and bloat of government and the crappy politics that it pays for.
Having said all this ..... sorry if I bore you ....=C2- I'm still a whole
lot better off than those in a lot of other well-developed countries.=C2
- I still feel fortunate.=C2- However I also feel that there are things
that need changing ..... and so I gripe about them.=C2- I doubt if utopi
a exists anywhere in my country (USA, if you haven't a foggiest idea of whe
re Florida is), but I'm kinda happy where I am.=C2-
Now, don't get me wrong .... I don't want y'all to move here .... we have e
nough of a problem with 'snowbirds' and hangar space is limited.
Now, back to building ....
Linn
Ian wrote:
It's amazing how taxes are considered 100% negative in the US.=C2-=C2-
You should try living in a place that has very little infrastructure (paid
for by what else - taxes) like Haiti.=C2-=C2-=C2- 9% income taxes sou
nds like a dream to me.=C2-=C2- Europeans, Canadians and many others re
ading these posts must wonder where the average American thinks the highway
s, defence, good government and all those other things come from if it's no
t from sharing part of what you earn/have earned in the past to pay for it.
=C2-
Ian Brown, Bromont, Quebec (Still paying tax on my pension, and wishing the
highways were better and that it didn't take five hours in the ER to be se
en by a doctor!).
==
