Regarding the article “Poll: Taxes, cost of living driving away young residents from Pennsylvania” (July 5, TribLIVE): I’ve developed a theory over the years that the government is going to get you somehow regardless of where you live. There will be exceptions, and one individual’s situation will be different from another, but the idea sort of holds.
My son lived in Texas for a number of years. Texas doesn’t have a sales tax. Unfortunately, property taxes, at least in Houston, are two to three times higher than where I live in Pennsylvania, and I don’t live in a low tax area.
A number of years ago we considered moving to Virginia. The sales tax is a hair lower. The income tax is hard to compare but is probably similar. Property taxes are much lower where we were looking. Unfortunately, Virginia charges sales tax on your car each year as well as taxing other things that aren’t taxed in Pennsylvania, and there is a 10% tax at restaurants, including fast food.
I’ve not looked at every state, so there will be exceptions, but I’m pretty sure the differences are going to be pretty minor in most states if everything is considered.
Bob Peirce
Venetia