Yeah I don't normally assume NY as a baseline 
- Edit 2
- Edit 2Before modification by Isaac at 23/02/2012 06:43:43 PM
Which might be a bit silly since I've spend a lot of time in Buffalo, but I don't tend to buy much there I'd have occasion to stare at the receipt for.
In any event, I am going to guess here that EITC in NY is probably compensating for a lot of that, and any state that voted for Dukakis can be safely assumed, I think, to have local taxation that is at least as progressive as the country as a whole, in terms of state averages. The point stands, conceptually anyway, I don't think anyone grossing 15k in NY pays that amount of taxes without receiving most or more back directly.
Aeryn is forgetting that the NY State and City taxes allow for a high standard deduction that would offset the tax rates such that the effective rate for someone making only $15,000 would be at or near 0%. In fact, someone making only $15,000 would probably be getting an EITC to supplement that income, rather than paying tax at any level.
However, in New York state, sales tax is on EVERYTHING - clothes, food, you name it. This is why cost-conscious people often go to New Jersey, where clothes are not subject to sales tax. And it is high, so there is a tax on consumption that they have to pay.
Of course, that doesn't help the Federal government at all, it just helps the state pay for the overpaid transit workers and teachers in rubber rooms that they can't fire due to union contracts.
In any event, I am going to guess here that EITC in NY is probably compensating for a lot of that, and any state that voted for Dukakis can be safely assumed, I think, to have local taxation that is at least as progressive as the country as a whole, in terms of state averages. The point stands, conceptually anyway, I don't think anyone grossing 15k in NY pays that amount of taxes without receiving most or more back directly.