Ravenwood - 07/17/07 06:00 AM
From the Free Republic:
An unelected body, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, (NVTA) is set to implement completely unprecedented and controversial taxing powers for road projects, two thirds of which will not be identified until late November or early December.The Virginian Pilot reports that these tax hikes were approved July 14th.The NVTA wants more taxing power from the General Assembly in 2008, eminent domain authority to take homes, businesses, and land, and power to relocate utilities.
Proposed Taxes and Fee Increases:
- Tax on home sales will increase an additional 40 cents per $100 bringing the total state and local grantor/recordation taxes to 86.66 cents per $100, up from 46.66 cents per $100 ($3,467 instead of $1865 on a $400,000 home),
- New 5% car repair tax ($50 on a $1,000 repair bill). Collision repair costs will be hit especially hard as will insurance costs.
- Car rental tax will increase addition 2%, from 10% to 12 %
- Hotel tax will increase 2% on top of current 2%-5% tax
- Vehicle safety inspection fee will increase from $15 to $25
- New regional annual vehicle registration fee of $10 added to current registration fee.
- New, first time registration fee of 1% of sales price of newly registered or purchased car (new or used) ($200 for $20,000 vehicle)
A panel of Northern Virginia officials voted Thursday night to authorize $300 million in local tax and fee increases for transportation improvements.Northern Virginia has gradually been becoming more and more liberal over the years. If you were thinking of abandoning ship, now may be the time to do it.The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority approved a package that includes new taxes on home sales, car repairs, hotels, rental cars and higher motor vehicle registration and inspection fees.
And just why does a Transportation Authority have the ability to raise taxes on home sales?
The good news is that Loudon County is challenging their authority to increase taxes as an unelected board.
Posted by: Bitter at July 17, 2007 9:05 AMCar repairs?? WTF?
I understand that Virginia does not have the regular tax revenue engines as other states (like a property tax, if I remember correctly), but Jeez. It doesn't make sense to tax vehicle upkeep, especially if you pose as enviromentally aware.
PS-- Read about Mike Vick. Man, they are going after him.
Posted by: mikem at July 18, 2007 4:08 AMVirginia does have property tax, but it's collected locally and pays for schools. We also have a personal property tax on cars.
So here's the situation for car repairs. Basically they force you to get a state inspection every year. You have to pay a mechanic to find something wrong with your car. If he does, you can't drive it. Then they make you pay a tax on any repairs that he has to make. They get you coming and going, literally.
Posted by: Ravenwood at July 18, 2007 8:28 AMDamn. I got that wrong. I thought I remembered a friend from Stanardsville telling me they pay an annual fee (like $500 or so) per vehicle which is why they have no property tax. I mixed up somewhere. Thanks for the info.
Posted by: mikem at July 18, 2007 9:37 PMDo these taxes apply only to NOVA counties, or are they state-wide?
Posted by: None at July 19, 2007 6:07 AMThey only apply to NoVa, meaning you could drive across the county line to get your car repaired or inspected cheaper
Posted by: Ravenwood at July 19, 2007 8:52 AMSafety inspection programs are a racket and a rip off. We have them here in Utah and yours probably work the same way. Check out my website on this racket at:
http://9947587308.tripod.com/
I have some links to research and statistics that might help you fight yours there.
SOME OF THESE ELECTED OR UN-ELECTED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ALWAYS LOOK FOR EASY WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR AUTHORITY AND PUNISH THE LAW ABIDING TAXPAYERS WHEREAS THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THE WASTE MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT. IN OTHER WORDS WE HEAR THEM TO INCREASE TAX WHENEVER THEY WANT BUT WE DO NOT HEAR THEM ABOUT THE WASTE THEY MAKING.
Posted by: FEDE SARABIA at August 16, 2007 12:51 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
