Car dealers are amateurs when it comes to the bait-and-switch. The true masters of this art are politicians – such as Virginia Governor Ralph “Coonman” Northam. He tantalizes empty-pocketed taxpayers – whose pockets are empty because of all the taxes they’re forced to pay – with lower taxes.
Of course, he doesn’t quite put it that way, much less explain what he’s up to – so let’s do that.
Virginia, like most states, applies an annual vehicle registration tax – in addition to the sales taxes people are forced to pay when they buy a car, then the tax to title the car and then again each year for the conditional privilege of temporary possession – the property tax on the vehicle. Which if you fail to pay, the vehicle’s true status as the property of the state will be made manifest.
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The registration tax is about $50 per year – which adds up over the years. If you own one vehicle for ten years you will have paid $500 in registration taxes.
In addition to that tax, there is another annual tax – the state “safety” inspection tax. People are forced to take their vehicle to an “approved” garage and have its tires and brakes and so on looked over – even if they have looked over these things themselves. The usual justification – that because some people are irresponsible (and would otherwise drive around with bad brakes and threadbare tires) is used to presume everyone is irresponsible – and force them to have their vehicle inspected each year.
And, of course, pay every year.
Another $20 – which times ten equals another $200 plus the $500 for the registration is $700 – which is a lot of money, especially given how much money has already been taken by the government.
Well, the Coonman promises relief.
No more annual inspections! And he’ll cut the annual registration taxes in half!
In exchange for a new inspection tax – and an increase in gas taxes.
