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Let's tax car rentals instead
#114051
12/08/2016 09:17 AM
12/08/2016 09:17 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Daily Herald story OK, what am I missing here? We've all suspected the tax on car rentals seems to be a sliding scale, but this guy says that car rentals aren't being taxed now?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Or he's talking about a tourist driver's license??
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#114052
12/08/2016 09:22 AM
12/08/2016 09:22 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,575 Ohio
ruralcarrier
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Tough to tell for sure put it appears to be a tourist driver's license tax when you rent from how I read it.
J.D.
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#114053
12/08/2016 11:14 AM
12/08/2016 11:14 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,657 Brookfield, CT.
pat
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Can't help but wonder if they've ever heard the story of the straw that broke the camel's back!
There comes a time when even the most die-hard island fan says enough!! The roads are atrocious, the ever-burning dump stinks and the idea of $80000.00 spent on Christmas decorations is a huge ouch when you look at the island causes that could have better benefited from the use of those funds - childrens causes, mental health, shelters.....and the list goes on and on.
This long-time visitor is appalled at the irresponsible government approach of spending money they can't afford on things they don't need and raising costs imposed on visitors to cover them - shades of Stateside spending. I guess the island government has learned that lesson well!
With regard to this new suggested fee or tax.......what does it do to the fluctuating 'government tax' already charged by car rental agencies and will French side agencies be charging this new fee or tax, too? If not, seems they would be receiving a benefit on every rental not given to Dutch side agencies. Just sayin'..........
Last edited by pat; 12/08/2016 11:25 AM.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: pat]
#114054
12/08/2016 11:39 AM
12/08/2016 11:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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..not to mention the government owned utility, GEBE, that can't manage to keep the lights on for more than a few minutes...
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: EdB]
#114056
12/08/2016 12:25 PM
12/08/2016 12:25 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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IF they put it into the price of the air tickets, it will just go away and no one will pay any attention. But if they make people stand in another line to pay departure tax, it will just p*ss people off. As far as what they do with the money? That would definitely be a different issue.
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#114057
12/08/2016 12:28 PM
12/08/2016 12:28 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,657 Brookfield, CT.
pat
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Exactly, Carol. I remember all too well, from our earliest trip in '73 when we had to stand in that long line to pay our $2.00 departure fee clear up to a few years ago when, thank heavens, they finally put it in the air tix.
And Ed, I have no issue with six dollars but I do believe the government needs to be more responsible/accountable to its citizens and guests alike. And it has to end somewhere........
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: pat]
#114058
12/08/2016 12:57 PM
12/08/2016 12:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,575 Ohio
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And Ed, I have no issue with six dollars but I do believe the government needs to be more responsible/accountable to its citizens and guests alike. And it has to end somewhere........ When they have a continued income stream from tourists and it seems never ending to the government, who cares about responsibility or accountability?
J.D.
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: weeks5051]
#114060
12/08/2016 01:49 PM
12/08/2016 01:49 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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OK, this thread got a little confused with the other thread. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" /> The government's proposal is to levy an exit tax on people leaving SXM. (See the other thread about that.) This exit fee would be levied on those leaving by plane or by boat (except for cruise ships). Then today, this other legislator is proposing INSTEAD of that, to tax either car rentals directly, or have some kind of a tourist driver's license fee. The reference to having a line to pay at the airport (or to have it included in the air tickets) has to do with the other proposal, for the exit tax.
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Mbrott]
#114063
12/08/2016 04:51 PM
12/08/2016 04:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Who knows? Especially since all car rental guys charge different amounts!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/smashpc.gif" alt="" />
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: milo911md]
#114065
12/08/2016 09:25 PM
12/08/2016 09:25 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,575 Ohio
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milo911md said: It is time to rent from the french side companies. Only 4% tax. They meet you at the airport parking with the car and paper work on pickup and drop off. AND No silly DL tax from the dutch side government Tax is only a small part of the entire rental price. Before I would focus solely on the percentage of tax, I would look at the bottom line for the total/all in price, service and convenience.
J.D.
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: eskimo888]
#114068
12/09/2016 08:24 AM
12/09/2016 08:24 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,575 Ohio
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While I think taxes/fees are getting out of hand and are often misused, hotels do the same things here and it was mentioned earlier.
Book any hotel/motel and there is often a bed/lodging tax that anyone staying there pays. This is in addition to sales tax and any other local taxes and often add up to 15% or more. We stayed in a hotel earlier this year in a large US city and in addition to the 15% tax there was also an additional tax of $5/night for state transportation projects. This is also done to fund sports stadiums and other projects.
Taxes are often about letting others foot the bill for goods/services they don't use.
Below is the approx. tax for a hotel room in Atlanta GA. 16% PLUS $5/night.
"Estimated Total Tax: 16% per room per night. Estimated Total Tax Amount (in addition to total percentage tax if applicable): 5.00 USD per room per night."
Not our island/country, not our laws. We can either choose to continue to go there and pay the new fees/taxes or or stop doing so. Personally, the high cost of airfare from anywhere other then the East coast will do more to hurt tourism than a $5 tax/fee or a 4% tax.
J.D.
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#114069
12/09/2016 10:29 AM
12/09/2016 10:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,103 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Apparently the Daily Herald is in favor of taxing tourist driver's licenses, they say to discourage tourists from driving. Therein lies the rub! That's nice to say, but when there is no dependable bus service and the cost of taxis is sky high, combined with all the other issues that SXM has, maybe a lot of people will resolve the problem by looking to vacation in other places, like Aruba or Cancun, both of which have a good bus system. $20 or so is not an amount of money that should break the bank for anyone that has any business going to SXM. But it is more about a sense of irritation that government can spend $80,000 for Christmas decorations and another $120,000 for lights for the new government building, yet can't keep Back Street paved or build a much needed sewage treatment plant, or keep the lights on, or keep the dump from burning every other day...
Carol Hill
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: Hook]
#114076
12/11/2016 01:11 PM
12/11/2016 01:11 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,422 Rhode Island
RonDon
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Hook said: Are we not the kettle calling the pot black? I pay 9% sales tax + ............. Wow! I thought we were bad with 7% sales tax. But at least we don't pay tax on everything like FL does. Just discovered that 2 states, TN & PA charge NO TAX on retirement income like SS or a 401. Think I'll move!
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: RonDon]
#114079
12/13/2016 10:25 AM
12/13/2016 10:25 AM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,991 Connecticut
The_Lurker
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RonDon said:Hook said: Are we not the kettle calling the pot black? I pay 9% sales tax + ............. Wow! I thought we were bad with 7% sales tax. But at least we don't pay tax on everything like FL does. Just discovered that 2 states, TN & PA charge NO TAX on retirement income like SS or a 401. Think I'll move! I don't believe that Florida has income tax. I have friends that live there half of the year to avoid different taxes.
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Re: Let's tax car rentals instead
[Re: The_Lurker]
#114080
12/13/2016 10:29 AM
12/13/2016 10:29 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,575 Ohio
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Pretty sure they (FL) have no state tax and possibly other taxes as the MIL has her primary residence there for the tax benefit.
J.D.
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