William Brenner wrote:

- quote -

Thanks for that, Bill. We should note of course that a 114
years makes quite a difference. I'm referring to the
difference between 1766 and the time my grandfather was
born. But his time the word had gained some measure of
respectibility and in these days, complete respectibility,
since even Marsha, the OP, is also one now.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Harlan Lunsford wrote:

- quote -

Sorry to disagree with our esteemed moderator (better ES
steemed than steamed) but when you fly eastwards at night
there is no jet lag atall. You arrive at 9 a.m, rent the car
and are on your way. Of course you sleep well that night.

it's coming back that the real problem cause of the extra 5
hours added to your day. For three days now, I mostly sleep
and eat. And am progressively waking up later each
morning; woke up at 3:30 first morning and couldn't go back
to sleep. it's a very VERY taxing (got the word in!)
transistion. But worth it.

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford

[Moderator: Mr. Lunsford's disagreement is noted with a smile.]

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

- quote -

Harlan--
You have it mostly correct. As the chief forum purveyor of
relatively useless information, I am delighted to offer you
this from the "Online Etymology Dictionary". Note that it
omits any mention of the "good" Crackers.

"Cracker, Southern U.S. derogatory term for "poor, white
trash" (1766), is from c.1450 crack "to boast" (e.g. not
what it's cracked up to be), originally a Scottish word.
Especially of Georgians by 1808, though often extended to
residents of northern Florida."

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Martha Matthews, EA wrote:

- quote -

This is first post since returning ysterday from the land of
Scottish mists; both rainy and of course the whisky type.
(Sorry, Dick; no means of delivery so guess I'll have to
drink your portion.)

[Dick: Hold on, Harlan, that's an urban myth. Ship ASAP.]

Anyway Martha, KUTGW = Keep up the Good Work!

As for derivation of the word cracker, Bill Brenner has
given you the dictionary version.

My grandfather always spoke the word with a great deal of
respect, saying that "so and so" was a real Georgia
cracker, meaning that he was as sharp as a tack and
cognizant of many things and knowledgeable in many fields.

However I have one other theory now that I've been
acquainted with Scotland and Ireland for a while. In that
part of the world, and especially in Ireland, people meet to
"have some good crack." No, not THAT kind of drug; rather
the word "crack' means conversation!

Since our great southeast, esp North Carolina was settled by
the Scotch-Irish, I believe the term crept into our
Southern language meaning just that, a great
conversationalist.

If I mispel a word or two, it's cause I'm still fighting jet lag.

[Dick: Sorry, Harlan, you get jet lag going over, not coming back.]

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, GC (Georgia cracker)

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

rick++ wrote:

- quote -

The thing is, if Congress truly had the "stones" to enact
and MAINTAIN a simple tax system, there is no reason why
they couldn't greatly simplify our current income tax
system. This would be relatively easy and would involve far
less "uncertainty" than a massive conversion to sales taxes.
The problem is, I have no confidence that Congress will EVER
permit ANY tax system to remain simple!

- quote -

I hope the devotees of a national sales tax are keeping a
close eye on the progress of the Streamlined Sales Tax
Agreement. One of the current roadblocks to that scheme -
and my state is at the heart of it - is the issue of
"sourcing." Do merchants charge the rate in effect at their
place of business (that's pretty simple)? Or the rate in
effect at the customer's location (that gets complicated)?
Even if the tax rates are the same, the distinction is
important because it impacts WHICH local government gets the
revenue.

I'm sure some will argue that Congress can solve that
problem by simply mandating it away. But, pray tell, which
clause of the constitution gives Congress the power to
intervene/interfere/overrule a state's internal tax
system???

MTW

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Texas has no income tax, but a high sales tax. Now some
redneck with a pickup truck living in a border town is
buying everything that doesn't have to be registered across
the border.

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

rick++ wrote:

- quote -

The thing is, if Congress truly had the "stones" to enact
and MAINTAIN a simple tax system, there is no reason why
they couldn't greatly simplify our current income tax
system. This would be relatively easy and would involve far
less "uncertainty" than a massive conversion to sales taxes.
The problem is, I have no confidence that Congress will EVER
permit ANY tax system to remain simple!

- quote -

I hope the devotees of a national sales tax are keeping a
close eye on the progress of the Streamlined Sales Tax
Agreement. One of the current roadblocks to that scheme -
and my state is at the heart of it - is the issue of
"sourcing." Do merchants charge the rate in effect at their
place of business (that's pretty simple)? Or the rate in
effect at the customer's location (that gets complicated)?
Even if the tax rates are the same, the distinction is
important because it impacts WHICH local government gets the
revenue.

I'm sure some will argue that Congress can solve that
problem by simply mandating it away. But, pray tell, which
clause of the constitution gives Congress the power to
intervene/interfere/overrule a state's internal tax
system???

MTW

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

- quote -

cracker
a. usually disparaging : a poor usually Southern white
b. capitalized : a native or resident of Florida or Georgia
-- used as a nickname

Be sure to capitalize it when referring to oneself.

I am a long time resident, however South Florida immigrants
probably do not qualify for Crackerdom.

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Harlan Lunsford <hnospamlunsford[at]bellsouth.net> wrote in

- quote -

Always good to know another "cracker" <g> . What's KUTGW?

Martha

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

- quote -

This could apply to income taxes if there wasnt so many
"special cases", i.e. different treatment of different
sources and a zillion itemized deductions. I recall that
Great Britain and even the USA 1040EZ had "automatic filing"
for a while. If you had only wage income and no deductions,
the government automatically computed your return, and you
just signed off. Politicians have pandered votes by
legislating dozens of deductions for childhood, education,
real estate, SUVs, etc, where there was just a handful 20
years ago.

The current complexity of sales taxes burdens the merchant
by type of good and geographical location. How long before
politicians write special cases by class of customer to
further muck things up?

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

"Stuart Bronstein" <spamtrap[at]lexregia.com> wrote
- quote -

Ya, but who goes to Nevada for the food?

--
Tock

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Seth Breidbart wrote:

- quote -

Oregon has an income tax, but no sales tax. Montana has an
income tax.

Now, if you said *Washington* you'd be closer (no income
tax, but does have a sales tax), though it does have the
"business & occupations tax" that's a somewhat interesting
beast <grin> .

--
Ed Zollars, CPA
Phoenix, Arizona

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

sethb[at]panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote:
- quote -

???? These are all examples of states that have INCOME
taxes, but do NOT have SALES/USE taxes. The reverse of
Dick's question.

New Hampshire does not have a comprehensive individual
income tax, but does tax income from unincorporated
businesses (e.g., sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs),
and also taxes interest and dividend income of individuals.

Katie in San Diego

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

"D. Stussy" <kd6lvw[at]bde-arc.ampr.org> wrote:
- quote -

snip
- quote -

Nevada has had a sales/use tax since 1955. The statewide
school tax (which more or less piggybacks on the s/u tax)
was imposed beginning in 1967. Still, Nevada was relatively
late in enacting a s/u tax. Most states started in the
1930's. The sales/use tax is a child of the depression,
when the income tax base dropped.

Nevada's s/u tax law is more or less based on California's,
but Nevada's auditors are MUCH meaner! Junkyard dogs ... <G
- quote -

Depends on what is included in the base. If the base is
limited to transactions that are currently subject to
sales/use tax in most states, you might be right. But in
that case the rate would have to be astronomical to produce
enough federal revenue. Chances are the base would include
a lot of transactions that are not generally subject to s/u
tax (services and intangibles, for example) and many people
whose activities are not subject to state and local
sales/use taxes (and therefore not familiar with their
mechanics) would be subject. It's not as easy as it sounds,
either. There are a lot of complexities.

Katie in San Diego

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

D. Stussy wrote:

- quote -

I don't know about that. I saw a show in a Reno casino 20
years ago or more. At that time the entire cost of the
dinner and show together was taxed with both a sales tax and
an entertainment tax.

The food was not very entertaining.

Stu

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

Martha Matthews, EA wrote:

(snipped here and there.)

- quote -

At first I thought to call you on putting "cracker" in parenthesis,
but then I realized, I too am a "cracker" . Georgia cracker,
that is.

KUTGW,

ChEAr$,
Harlan Lunsford, EA from GA

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

"Seth Breidbart" <sethb[at]panix.com> wrote:

- quote -

Delaware has an income tax, just no sales tax.

Gene E. Utterback, EA
Residing in beautiful Felton, Delaware!

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

MTW wrote:
- quote -

about 4 years ago (I think that's when it came into being -
so I have heard). Their "sin taxes" pretty much paid for
the state's expenses for a long time.

There is one big advantage to a national sales tax: Less
people would have to go through the process of preparing a
periodic return - a return that would be mathematically
simpler.

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

"Bill Brown" <bill[at]squires.com> wrote:

- quote -

Might want to check those annual rainfall figures, Bill.
Last time I checked, Portland was wetter than Seattle most
years.

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->

"Seth Breidbart" <sethb[at]panix.com> wrote:
- quote -

New Hampshire doesn't have a sales tax or a VAT, but it does
tax income from interest, dividends, and business
enterprise.

--
David M. Woods, EA, ChFC, CLU
Woods Financial Services
Norwood, MA 02062
www.woods-financial.com

<< -------------------------------------------------> << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting > << messages to this newsgroup are at www.asktax.org > << ------------------------------------------------->