Sales taxes in small Arizona towns steeper than in big cities
7:48 pm in arizona towns, AZ News, highest median household income, median household income, median incomes, metro phoenix, national reputation, populous areas, sales tax rates, state levies, tax foundation study, Tax's by PinkTeaPatriot
Source: AZCentral.com
By Russ Wiles
Posted: May12th, 2012
Arizona’s cities and towns are gaining a national reputation for piling it on with sales taxes, and the bite is often higher in outlying areas.
Glendale, Phoenix, Tucson and Mesa all ranked among the top 10 nationally with combined city, county and state levies above 9 percent, according to a recent study by the Tax Foundation of cities with at least 200,000 people. Alabama’s two largest cities, Birmingham and Mongtomery, tied for first place with an overall rate of 10 percent.
But 36 smaller Arizona localities levy more than 10 percent in sales taxes and thus would have beaten Birmingham and Montgomery if they were included in the Tax Foundation study.
Many residents of small cities and towns chafe at their higher sales-tax rates, often complaining that municipal services aren’t as plentiful and shopping choices more limited.
Arizona’s less-populous areas aren’t as affluent as metro Phoenix, either. Maricopa County traditionally has had one of the state’s lowest jobless rates. It also has the highest median household income, according to federal figures. In six of Arizona’s 14 other counties, median incomes are at least 25 percent lower.
Read More: AZCentral.com
