my state is 8% . . . even for online purchases like on amazon
That's crazy.
Y'think that's crazy? While the rest of Washington state is 8%, King county is 9% sales tax (which includes online purchases shipped to here...I've checked shipping costs to my parents house in eastern Washington versus my apartment in Seattle and it is different). There's also talk of (if it isn't already approved?) of charging for plastic bags at the grocery stores! We have our lovely stadiums to thank for the hyped sales tax. Luckily there's no state income tax in WA so it makes up for it a little, I wouldn't put it past the government to approve that now. They're gutting both the insurance for the poor and our education programs, while building a tunnel underneath downtown and starting to charge tolls on the bridges connecting eastern King county to Seattle where they hadn't before. I can't wait to move out of Seattle after law school...it's going to be even more of a congested mess than it is now in 3 years. As for a soda tax...there's already a gas tax, liquor tax, tabacco tax, as long as they include candies that include HFCS as well it would seem to fit along those lines.