why do we have a state tax on home repairs?

[CTyankee]

I had to have my refrigerator repaired last month. How can we exist without a way to refrigerate our food? I don't get the rationale for this state tax. It's not like it's for a TV or something that is needed just to exist.

This just makes me mad and it shouldn't be this way in liberal CT...

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Change the law then. Some states charge sales tax on services and others don't.

Some states are desperate for tax revenues, others are not, being that they have alternate sources of tax revenues. You know the routine. Just because a place is liberal or not doesn't reflect really on the taxing policies of a place, IMHO.

[CTyankee]

3. I don't agree entirely. We have a graduated income tax which is good because we have many

very rich people in CT who commute to NYC and make tons of money helped by being so accessible to the city. I can see that. Tax their pool repairs, fine.

Isn't this like the tax on food where you tax certain foods (like prepared foods for instance) but not others. Tax alcohol. Tax fast food. Etc.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. So you don't want to change the law (I don't agree - your comment)? I don't understand

your logic, after all, residents of each state set the parameters of how taxes are generated in each state, and obviously, no matter where you go in this country, there are going to be people who make a ton of money and there are going to be a lot of people who don't make a lot of money, some states have income taxes that can capture the discrepancies in incomes, others have a sales tax, others have a fee structure, and so forth. There are lots of different ways to capture tax revenues. And by the way, they do tax alcohol where I'm at, they do tax fast food where I'm at, the only thing that they give a break for is a lower tax on prescriptions. All state determined, and this is where you can make a difference, complain, change the law, etc.

[CTyankee]

6. I see a HUGE difference between prescriptions (yikes) and alcohol, fast foods etc...

You don't need fast foods or alcohol to live. You do need food refrigeration.

What is the rationale for taxing prescription drugs? good lord...

[jimfields33]

2. Isn't Connecticut the richest state in the country?

I’d think they still need revenue for the ones not making the big bucks.

[CTyankee]

4. Yes we are (per capita, I guess).

I just don't get the rationale for taxing something so necessary for human existence.

[Wellstone ruled]

7. Believe the tax on Repairs

in several states came about as a result of Budget short falls some twenty years ago. At the time,no State Legislator was going to raise Sales Taxes or Income Tax because of the Anti-Tax climate created by Gingrich and Crew. So,Fees replaced Tax in Budget Language and the Rethugs loved Fees.

And you wondered why your Utility Bills are stupidly hi,fees my friend fees.

[NutmegYankee]

8. To bring in revenue.

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DRS/Publications/pubsip/2018/IP-2018(2).pdf?la=en