Where's Kurt Russell when you need him?Check out the governor's (in office, remember, only because of the previous governor's sexual shenanigans with a call girl) announced plan to improve New York's flailing economy. Sure, the guy's a Democrat so you'd expect to see increased government spending backed by new ways to pick the pockets of taxpayers. A no brainer.
But increasing spending by $1.4 billion?
And introducing the biggest tax hike in history, a tax plan that includes a number of new taxes (137, to be exact) that's shocking even to other Democrats?
Now, that's something.
This New York Post story itemizes just a few of the amazing tax hikes in Governor Paterson's plan:
* An "iTunes tax" of 4 percent on videos, music or pictures downloaded from the Internet.
* A 4 percent tax on taxi, limo and bus rides. That means a $10 cab ride would cost 40 cents more.
* A 4 percent entertainment tax on tickets to movies, concerts and sporting events. That would add nearly 50 cents to a $12 movie ticket or $1.80 to the cheapest $44.50 seat at a Knicks game.
* The tax on beer increases 24 cents per gallon, or more than double the current rate, which means about 30 cents a case.
* An 18 percent tax on nondiet soft drinks, which aims to reduce child obesity. A $1.50 can of Pepsi would then cost at least 25 cents more.
* A 4 percent tax on cable TV and satellite services, raising a $100 bill by $4.
* Hiking the cost of "personal" services - including haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages and gym memberships - by 4 percent.
* A 4 percent sales tax on clothing and shoes under $500, except for two weeks out of the year.
* Elimination of the law that caps the state sales tax on gasoline at 8 cents per gallon.
* Boosting the average vehicle registration fee for drivers by $11, from $44 to $55. Fees for new or renewed licenses also would increase 25 percent, or increase from $50 to about $62 to renew a license over eight years.
In addition, all drivers would have to get new, "reflectorized" license plates at a fee of $25 each...
Do you think a few New Yorkers might be moving to Jersey this year?
