NORWAY-L Archives

Archiver > NORWAY > 1997-11 > 0878423867


From: <>
Subject: Re: Maps of Norway
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 1997 17:37:47 -0500 (EST)


Hi All,

One of the reasons the maps are cheaper than in Norway is that Norway has
about a 23 % value added sales tax. Almost anything is at least that much
cheaper when purchased elsewhere. I don't believe it is itemized separately
as sales taxes are in America.

There is a discourse going on in the US about some kind of flat tax to
replace income taxes. A value added tax that is not itemized and a sales tax
that is itemized are 2 candidates. Those who like big government tend to
like the value added tax because people forget it is being charged and
therefore it can be raised much more easily. Those who like small
government, or don't like government at all, tend to favor a sales tax that
is itemized on every bill because it constantly reminds people how much tax
they are paying and therefore it is much harder to raise.

By the way, some new form of taxation will probably have to be applied before
2000 due to the 2000 problem in all the computer programs used by the
Internal Revenue Service. This is a real and nasty problem and will raise
havoc with programs that are not updated to know the difference between 1900
and 2000. Even when you know exactly which programs will be affected, the
problem can be very difficult to correct. The IRS has admited before
congress that they have not started to examine and inventory their programs
for the problem. I doubt that the inventory could be completed in the little
over 2 years left.

Now why am I posting this, it will probably bring rain.

Neil

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