ABC4 Stadium Poll

[Donk]

Originally Posted by RSL_Fan

Lotteries are taxes in disguise. Most people don't look at lotteries as "taxes". However, they are usually a state sponsored way to produce revenue. Yeah, participating in a may be voluntary, but the taxes you are charged when you purchase a ticket are not. And, the rate you are charged is extremely high, much higher than any state sales tax. The state will get their money one way or another, involuntarily or voluntary.

If you want some reading material to explain this argument, look at this site.

Yes, it's called a stupidity tax. If I'm dumb enough to actually buy a ticket, then I deserve to pay the rate. and the taxes you are charged when you buy a ticket are voluntary because you do not have to buy the ticket in the first place. I'm all for taxing the stupid, I don't understand why Utah don't cash in on all the stupid folks here instead of let Idaho and Nevada make money on our citizens. It's like alcohol, if you ban it, it doesn't stop people from drinking, all it does is make someone go somewhere else.

[RSL_Fan]

I don't have any info on this, (too lazy to research on my own) but I think it would be interesting to see what the tax rate would be in those states that have state sponsored lotteries. Include the amount of taxes from lottery tickets that the average resident pays each year with property, sales, gas etc.

[Donk]

ok, well that's easy, since all states but Utah and Hawaii have lotteries, just look at the data on tax rates. Easy to compare. The link I posted above is pretty good for that.

[Jose Luis Luviano]

Originally Posted by rabble-rabble

I'm traveling to Lava Hot Springs this weekend, .

Ah yes. My expenditures at the Blue Moon and Shawn's Market have pumped many a dollar into Idaho's treasury.

[Donk]

Originally Posted by realPDX

your wrong. utah is one of the states that has relatively good taxes. a lower state tax, lower income and federal taxes and so on. a low hotel tax, low sales tax. your actually lucky. after living there for 20 years and now living in oregon i envy the tax situation in utah. oregon has REALLY high income tax, HIGH property tax, high gas taxes, and a miriad of other rediculously high taxes that i have to pay for for some reason. the one good thing that oregon does have is NO sales tax. thats one key for the other higher taxes, but it even outs in the end. we have a terrible infrastructure with poor roads, poor education, high homeless and poverty rates not to mention some pretty high crime rates. people in oregon value a different way of life and we do have some pretty good healthcare, better than utah's.

but to say that utahs taxes are outrageous, is outrageous.

If you received your grammar education in Utah, I would ask for your money back and take it to Oregon where they teach proper capitalization, spelling, sentence structure, and grammar.

[GeNioS]

No one disputes that the odds are against you in the lottery. But they key is that they are voluntary. Anyone who calls a lottery a tax is out of line. Someone DOES actually win....yeah the odds are against you but no one is forcing you to pay, unlike the tax I have to pay when I buy f'ing MILK at the grocery store. I don't get to say,"Hey, I don't feel like paying that tax today....let the dumbass behind me pick that one up."

The funniest part about you guys making fun of people who buy lottery tickets is that the real winners are the people who don't play (except the lucky guy who wins). It's funny that you guys criticize how stupid people are who play it, but don't want the easy money that the state would generate that would NOT come out of your wise budget.

Also, the fact is, anyone who wants to play it can drive a couple of hours north to pick up their tickets, as thousands of Utahns routinely do. The dumbest thing about any argument against gambling is that Utahns are already spending money, but you "smart" people are to stupid too accept it.

EDIT: P.S. I've said this a million times, but do you realize that Nevada does not have the powerball. Imagine that...people from Vegas driving to St. George to spend money in our state for a change......now they do, however, have quite a bit of legal gambling in Nevada...or so I've heard....maybe that explains this web page.....

http://sos.state.nv.us/comm_rec/whyinc.htm

[soccerman]

Originally Posted by SpiffCoug

I wasn't sure where to put this. But I'm in Arkansas right now

Where in Arkansas?

[RSL_Fan]

Originally Posted by GeNioS

but you "smart" people are to stupid too accept it.

I'm "smart" enough to know how to use the words "to" and "too" in a sentance.

[the Bardguy]

Originally Posted by RSL_Fan

sentance.

heh heh

[RSL_Fan]

Oops. Misspelling.