BLS: Americans Spend More On Taxes Than Food And Clothing Combined

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

CNSNews
Terence P. Jeffrey | August 30, 2017 | 12:18 PM EDT

[excerpt]

https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/bls-average-family-tax-bill-increased-411-4-years

(CNSNews.com) - Americans on average spent more on taxes in 2016 than they did on food and clothing combined, according to data released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The same data also shows that in three years—from 2013 to 2016—the average tax bill for Americans increased 41.13 percent.

In 2016, according to BLS, “consumer units” (which include families, financially independent individuals, and people living in a single household who share expenses) spent more on average on federal, state and local taxes ($10,489) than they did on food ($7,203) and clothing ($1,803) combined ($9,006).

[GtHawk]

Clothing? Only when what I got wears out or I've shrunk it in the wash ( well that's my excuse ), as for food, I don't know at the rate prices are going it may become a wash.

[Wingnut]

The Goodwill store is my friend.  I live in a heavens waiting room area.. and the cloths are "new without tags" 

_{Toe Tags}

[RoosGirl]

Only $1500 difference?  Time to raise the debt ceiling!

[libertybele]

I have health issues and can only eat certain foods; nothing acidic or processed and high quality meats and poultry, so our grocery bill is ridiculous. Our property taxes are forcing us to leave our home of 25 years and downsize as we can no longer afford the taxes and will have to pay for our health insurance (something we never used to have to worry about) soon. New clothes?  I think the last time I actually went clothes shopping was about a year ago and I think I was able to buy a couple of tops and a couple pair of shorts at Kohl's on sale.

Lol ... certainly beginning to realize that getting old is not for sissies. 

[skeeter]

I have health issues and can only eat certain foods; nothing acidic or processed and high quality meats and poultry, so our grocery bill is ridiculous. Our property taxes are forcing us to leave our home of 25 years and downsize as we can no longer afford the taxes and will have to pay for our health insurance (something we never used to have to worry about) soon. New clothes?  I think the last time I actually went clothes shopping was about a year ago and I think I was able to buy a couple of tops and a couple pair of shorts at Kohl's on sale.

Lol ... certainly beginning to realize that getting old is not for sissies. 

Property taxes will force us out of our house at retirement, too.

Its funny - with all of the ridiculous 'civil rights' causes being celebrated today you'd think a system where retirees are routinely forced from their homes would be a big one - until you consider this case and who's doing the 'oppressing'.

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

In Kommissar Dannell Malloy's Worker's Paradise of Ct, in the small town I inhabit, every local PD cruiser is equipped with tax payer funded License Plate Recognition hardware/software.

Doesn't matter if they're going past you at 40 MPH the other way. Your's gets read.

Any issue with it, your car gets impounded.

Property taxes there are ridiculously high.

End Game?

Local Govt wants to make it harder for people who don't have a job, to find a job, BECAUSE, their end game is to confiscate your house when you can't pay Their taxes.

[GtHawk]

@libertybele @skeeter

I sympathise with you and wish you well, about the only thing California got right was Prop 13 which does protect long term home owners from punitive tax increases. Sadly California has become a one party thugocracy that only knows how to tax, spend dictate, they have had Prop 13 in their sights for a long time because all they care about is spending, not the residents of the state. Well not unless they come from south of the border.