Bloomberg's congestion fee plan dies behind closed doors in Albany

[mawilson 2,133]

What's so deranged about it? It's called progressive tax policy, and we're either committed to it or we're not.

What's deranged is the assumption that someone who lives in NYC and makes $300k or

even $500k a year is "rich" and should be taxed to death at the highest possible rate.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

What's so deranged about it? It's called progressive tax policy, and we're either committed to it or we're not.

What's deranged is the assumption that someone who lives in NYC and makes $300k or

even $500k a year is "rich" and should be taxed to death at the highest possible rate.

Someone who lives in NYC and makes $300K a year isn't rich?

Are you really saying that?

[mawilson 2,133]

What's so deranged about it? It's called progressive tax policy, and we're either committed to it or we're not.

What's deranged is the assumption that someone who lives in NYC and makes $300k or

even $500k a year is "rich" and should be taxed to death at the highest possible rate.

Someone who lives in NYC and makes $300K a year isn't rich?

Are you really saying that?

Yep.

[mawilson 2,133]

I am serious.

$300,000k a year - gross.

Social Security Tax: $6,045

Medicare Tax: $4,350

Federal Tax: $73,544

NY State Tax: $20,931

NY City Tax: $11,400

Total taxes: $116,270

$300,000 - $116,270 = $183,730

Monthly: $15,310

Mortgage: $10,000 (or Rent: $4,000-5,000)

Bills, Parking, Insurance etc: $1,000

Food and Entertainment: $5,000 (?)

And you have nothing left.

[Dan J 277]

I am serious.

$300,000k a year - gross.

Social Security Tax: $6,045

Medicare Tax: $4,350

Federal Tax: $73,544

NY State Tax: $20,931

NY City Tax: $11,400

Total taxes: $116,270

$300,000 - $116,270 = $183,730

Monthly: $15,310

Mortgage: $10,000 (or Rent: $4,000-5,000)

Bills, Parking, Insurance etc: $1,000

Food and Entertainment: $5,000 (?)

And you have nothing left.

So in other words, the fact that you feel poor has to do more with your choices than your income.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Monthly: $15,310

Mortgage: $10,000 (or Rent: $4,000-5,000)

Bills, Parking, Insurance etc: $1,000

Food and Entertainment: $5,000 (?)

And you have nothing left.

I have friends and family members who work in the city, earn in the mid 200's and pay mortgages less than 2k. How? They commute from Jersey

I'm sorry, but your choice to pay a lot more than you need to, is your problem.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

$5000 for food? What is that, a diet of Kobe beef and beluga caviar?

Suze Orman would have a field day with that budget.

[mawilson 2,133]

Monthly: $15,310

Mortgage: $10,000 (or Rent: $4,000-5,000)

Bills, Parking, Insurance etc: $1,000

Food and Entertainment: $5,000 (?)

And you have nothing left.

I have friends and family members who work in the city, earn in the mid 200's and pay mortgages less than 2k. How? They commute from Jersey

I'm sorry, but your choice to pay a lot more than you need to, is your problem.

When did this thread become about me? I am describing a hypothetical scenario.

I don't have a mortgage (yet), so I actually spend a lot less than $10k.

However, if or when I do decide to buy an apartment, my mortgage payments are

going to be at least $7k (and that's if I borrow only $1m.)

As for your friends, it's their choice to live in NJ. I don't want to live in f###in' Jersey.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Monthly: $15,310

Mortgage: $10,000 (or Rent: $4,000-5,000)

Bills, Parking, Insurance etc: $1,000

Food and Entertainment: $5,000 (?)

And you have nothing left.

I have friends and family members who work in the city, earn in the mid 200's and pay mortgages less than 2k. How? They commute from Jersey

I'm sorry, but your choice to pay a lot more than you need to, is your problem.

When did this thread become about me? I am describing a hypothetical scenario.

I don't have a mortgage (yet), so I actually spend a lot less than $10k.

However, if or when I do decide to buy an apartment, my mortgage payments are

going to be at least $7k (and that's if I borrow only $1m.)

As for your friends, it's their choice to live in NJ. I don't want to live in f###in' Jersey.

It's about the hypothetical person who has that budget. Let's call him 'you'.

So if you insist on spending 10k a month on PITI, about 8k of that 10k is purely discretionary. Might as well stick that into the entertainment category too.

[mawilson 2,133]

$5000 for food? What is that, a diet of Kobe beef and beluga caviar?

Food and Entertainment. Aka "going out", if you're familiar with the concept.

$5k is actually quite modest, even if you go out only twice a week (and weekends.)

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

$5k ain't modest, brutha.

[Sister Fracas 5]

I'd love to see a congestion fee come to downtown Chicago. Maybe get some of the eejits out of the way....maybe....

[mawilson 2,133]

So if you insist on spending 10k a month on PITI, about 8k of that 10k is purely discretionary. Might as well stick that into the entertainment category too.

It's not discretionary if you want to live in NYC. Not in Jersey City. Or spend two hours every day

commuting from Princeton or some "nicer" parts of NJ.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

$5000 for food? What is that, a diet of Kobe beef and beluga caviar?

Food and Entertainment. Aka "going out", if you're familiar with the concept.

$5k is actually quite modest, even if you go out only twice a week (and weekends.)

Very familiar with it - which is why I find $5000 a month pretty incredible.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd love to see a congestion fee come to downtown Chicago. Maybe get some of the eejits out of the way....maybe....

A congestion tax is fine in theory, but you gotta design it so it isn't regressive. Why slap yet another tax on poor and middle class people who commute from out of town when the wealthy who live downtown don't get touched? It ain't right. What's funny is the benefit goes almost entirely to those who live downtown - the wealthy.

So if you insist on spending 10k a month on PITI, about 8k of that 10k is purely discretionary. Might as well stick that into the entertainment category too.

It's not discretionary if you want to live in NYC. Not in Jersey City. Or spend two hours every day

commuting from Princeton or some "nicer" parts of NJ.

Wanting to live in NYC is a discretionary choice. Spends caused by the discretionary choice are ..... you got it - discretionary.