Earnings Tax

[Boognish]

Agreed on all points.

But you still don't address why they charge the 1%, but JoCo doesn't.  I dont' get a SINGLE THING from paying this tax, I just don't.  And if you say, "Well KCMO needs it more", then that is just begging the question of WHY that is....

Sure you do. A fragmented major metropolitan area with amenities relative to such is expensive. Also, Kansas City's tax burden compared to other mid sized and major cities is very small.

By the same argument, why not squat on a private, unpopulated piece of land? Your taxes would be 0.0%. Why not pay that instead of property, sales, and usage taxes in JoCo? If the answer to that question (as it should be) is access to retail service, entertainment, and employment, well, copy and paste the same answer into the previous question, including sports teams, art and history museums, theatre, events and festivals and there ya go.

It's just the price of doing business. Whether it could be obtained better or more fairly is an honest question, but not necessarily the question of having to pay for what you receive.

[Maitre D]

Cool.  Since I live in Missouri and work in Kansas, can I get my Kansas income taxes refunded?

That analogy doesn't work, b/c I'm not complaining about paying Missouri state income tax.  You don't pay the additional city tax working in Kansas now do you?

Please follow the arguments here.

[lock+load]

That analogy doesn't work, b/c I'm not complaining about paying Missouri state income tax.  You don't pay the additional city tax working in Kansas now do you?

Please follow the arguments here.

If I live in Texas and work in Oklahoma, I pay OK income tax, but would pay no state income tax if I worked in TX.  It's the same thing, just at a different level.  If you don't like it, quit your job and stay in JoCo full-time.  What is wrong with that option?  It's one freaking percent.

[Maitre D]

If I live in Texas and work in Oklahoma, I pay OK income tax, but would pay no state income tax if I worked in TX.  It's the same thing, just at a different level. 

How many people live in Texas and work in Oklahoma? 

If you don't like it, quit your job and stay in JoCo full-time.  What is wrong with that option?  It's one freaking percent.

Breaking out the "love it or leave it" line, I see.  Most impressive.

[Tosspot]

I like pie.

[Maitre D]

Sure you do. A fragmented major metropolitan area with amenities relative to such is expensive. Also, Kansas City's tax burden compared to other mid sized and major cities is very small.

By the same argument, why not squat on a private, unpopulated piece of land? Your taxes would be 0.0%. Why not pay that instead of property, sales, and usage taxes in JoCo? If the answer to that question (as it should be) is access to retail service, entertainment, and employment, well, copy and paste the same answer into the previous question, including sports teams, art and history museums, theatre, events and festivals and there ya go.

It's just the price of doing business. Whether it could be obtained better or more fairly is an honest question, but not necessarily the question of having to pay for what you receive.

I follow all your points - and it's your last one that I'm really trying to address here.  Whether it could be obtained better or more fairly hits the nail on the head.

I suppose on some level, the earnings tax may be underwriting some things I will use.  I.e., the city is paying for the PAC's parking garage.  I will use the PAC routinely, and it may not have been built without city help (and, my earnings tax).  

But arguments as, "You use the roads/sewers don't you?" is unbelievably lame.  Anyone can use the roads or use the restroom in JoCo too.

[lock+load]

How many people live in Texas and work in Oklahoma? 

Why don't you look it up and let us know.  Either way, what is your point?  KCMO should reduce the e-tax because many JoCoers have to pay it?  That is the precise reason the e-tax exists.  It's a way to tax those who use the city's infrastructure, but who live elsewhere.

That's great that JoCo can pay the bills w/out an e-tax.  I guess that is easy when your county was developed on the back of racial covenants.  I guess it's easier when all you have to worry about are schools, roads, and the next strip mall.

[Thrillcekr]

Agreed on all points.

But you still don't address why they charge the 1%, but JoCo doesn't.  I dont' get a SINGLE THING from paying this tax, I just don't.  And if you say, "Well KCMO needs it more", then that is just begging the question of WHY that is....

Why do I have to pay a 7 cent a gallon tax for gas if I need to fuel up in JoCo or a toll if I drive to Lawrence?  It doesn't benefit me. 

[kard]

This is a gray area to me, but I pay sales taxes in JoCo.  Can I get those back?  (I say gray, because I've heard that technically I can, but I'm not sure if that's true or not).

[kard]

That's great that JoCo can pay the bills w/out an e-tax.  I guess that is easy when your county was developed on the back of racial covenants.  I guess it's easier when all you have to worry about are schools, roads, and the next strip mall.

So...if Overland Park starts up an e-tax, and I live in KCMO and work in OP, I'll now have to pay one percent to each?  Yikes!

[lock+load]

This is a gray area to me, but I pay sales taxes in JoCo.  Can I get those back?  (I say gray, because I've heard that technically I can, but I'm not sure if that's true or not).

Especially the portion going to the JoCo school districts.  Why in the world should a Missourian have to fund KS schools?

[Thrillcekr]

Why do I have to pay an extra 7 cents a gallon for gas if I need to fuel up in JoCo or pay a toll if I drive to Lawrence?  It doesn't benefit me.  I think your community does extract that money from people PPA.  They just go about it in a way that's less forward and obvious. 

People would rather just not know they're paying for this stuff and that's where I think KC screws up by having an etax.  Honesty is not always the best policy when it comes to taxation.

[Maitre D]

Why do I have to pay a 7 cent a gallon tax for gas if I need to fuel up in JoCo or a toll if I drive to Lawrence?  It doesn't benefit me. 

Don't do this.  Comparing the buck-fifty you toss into the toll road can in now way-shape-form compares to the $1,000 I paid in the earnings tax.

Not even remotely comparable.

[Thrillcekr]

Don't do this.  Comparing the buck-fifty you toss into the toll road can in now way-shape-form compares to the $1,000 I paid in the earnings tax.

Not even remotely comparable.

It's very comparable for people who have to do it everyday and it's more than a buck fifty.  If I remember correctly I paid about three bucks the last time I drove back and forth to Lawrence.  Throw in the extra taxes for fuel and other crap they tax more over there and I'd say it probably evens out in the end.  If I had to do it all the time then I might even come out on the short end of the stick because you'd have to make a hundred grand a year to pay that 1,000.  Those taxes and tolls I mentioned are the same whether you make 25,000 a year so the impact it has on one's income could potentially be a lot greater.  For the average person who makes no where near 100,000 it would be.

[Maitre D]

It's very comparable for people who have to do it everyday and it's more than a buck fifty.  If I remember correctly I paid about three bucks the last time I drove back and forth to Lawrence.  Throw in the extra taxes for fuel and other crap they tax more over there and I'd say it probably evens out in the end.

Not buying that, but either way, Kansans pay the same tax that Missurians do to use that road.  And use it far, far more.  Nobody in Kansas chuckles and says, "People in MO should pay for our infrastructure!" 

Your logic fails here b/c when I worked in JoCo, I could s-t-i-l-l use MO's "infrastructure".  Why should I pay a tax just b/c I work here?

(On the topic of toll roads, I'm all for Missouri building one to STL.  I will use it and gladly pay the $$ to get away from the semis.  Why?  I can UNDERSTAND where the tax goes and how it directly benefits me)

[Maitre D]

If I had to do it all the time then I might even come out on the short end of the stick because you'd have to make a hundred grand a year to pay that 1,000.  Those taxes and tolls I mentioned are the same whether you make 25,000 a year so the impact it has on one's income could potentially be a lot greater.  For the average person who makes no where near 100,000 it would be.

Good point.  I'll gladly concede that.

[Thrillcekr]

Not buying that, but either way, Kansans pay the same tax that Missurians do to use that road.  And use it far, far more.  Nobody in Kansas chuckles and says, "People in MO should pay for our infrastructure!" 

Your logic fails here b/c when I worked in JoCo, I could s-t-i-l-l use MO's "infrastructure".  Why should I pay a tax just b/c I work here?

(On the topic of toll roads, I'm all for Missouri building one to STL.  I will use it and gladly pay the $$ to get away from the semis.  Why?  I can UNDERSTAND where the tax goes and how it directly benefits me)

Well, you just answered your own question as to why.  Even though I don't use it nearly as much as you I still have to pay the same tax even though you are doing almost all of the damage.  If I did, the cost would be astronomical in comparison to the etax.  However, I'm using your infrastructure and services so I'm expected to pay for it even if it's only briefly.  Fair enough.  Even though we don't ask the casual passer through to pay for ours I have no problem with this.  If you are being charged an etax then you're obviously coming to work in Kansas City, Missouri and using ours daily so you're being asked to do the same.  That's also fair in my opinion.

[GRID]

I think you are all missing the point of the etax a little bit.  That revenue goes to far more than the roads you drive on.  It goes into the general fund which then goes to things like annual upkeep at the stadiums, convention centers, arenas etc.  It goes to help subsidize the zoo, 18th and vine, the Liberty Memorial, union station etc.  It goes to organizations like the Crossroads District, River Market etc so we can have events like first fridays and events at the river market.  It goes to places like the downtown council and others to help bring in events like festivals, concerts and parades.  It goes to the KCADC and the convention bureau (which market the entire region, not just KCMO, something I can't say about KS based tourism and marketing organizations). All these events facilities are enjoyed by the entire metro area.  When JoCo began to grow, you could jump across the state line and avoid aging infrastructure, city schools etc, yet sill work and play in the "city" without having to fund anything.  This was putting a tremendous amount of pressure on KCMO's residents.  I have paid the Etax all my life and ALL residents of KCMO do it as do a very large portion of the all the MO side suburban residents.

I think it's a fair way to get something from suburban residents and like I said, ALL KCMO residents pay it too.

[nota]

Why do I have to pay a 7 cent a gallon tax for gas if I need to fuel up in JoCo

Kansas has better roads than Missouri.

or a toll if I drive to Lawrence?  It doesn't benefit me. 

Yes, the toll does benefit everyone who drives on the turnpike. That's why they call it a toll. Everyone using it shares the cost.

[kard]

Yes, the toll does benefit everyone who drives on the turnpike. That's why they call it a toll. Everyone using it shares the cost.

Well, to be fair, the tolls collected pay for more then just the road.  Sebelius just proposed increasing the tolls to help pay for infrastructure improvements on colleges across the state.  Which, while I think that's a great idea, won't necesserally be used by everyone who pays the toll.