It seems to me I heard somewhere that Lawrence Akutagawa wrote in
article :

"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
. nb.home.nl...
[Re-added rec.travel.australia+nz because of the references to Oz (and I
don't believe in splitting up running discussions, unless there is a
very good reason). Of course anyone is free to think/act otherwise.]

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
[...]

Just for your edification - in California the sales tax (about 8.25%,
depending on where in the state) is already included in the quoted per
gallon price of gasoline. A number of years ago it was excluded from the
quoted price such that the tax was calculated subsequently as per all
other
taxable purchases. But no longer.

"tax", you pushed yet another one of my buttons (Perhaps that Sharx35
dude was right after all!?).

The tax thingie is rather confusing, needlessly complex, and, AFAICT,
has no advantages for the customer.

In most - but not all - cases, tax was excluded. As you say, the
percentage depends on the location and probably also on the type of
product/service. If you're buying one or a few products, it's hard to
impossible to give the shop attendant the exact amount or to (try to)
get as little change as possible back, until the cash register has
calculated how much you own. That is a nuisance, only takes addtional
time, and I see no advantage (*Is* there any advantage?).

Now that is interesting. Throughout California, all taxes are included in
the per gallon price such that what you pay - strictly for gas - is what is
displayed on the pump. So if the pump says the purchase is for $20.50, then
you pay $20.50 for gas at the register. Of course if you pick up some odds
and ends (snacks, etc.) at the register you will have the sales tax added
onto the nominal price of those items. That pump price, by the way, does
include federal and state fuel taxes - which are separate from the sales
tax. And to make things even more murky, that sales tax is calculated not
just on the cost of the fuel, but on those federal and state fuel taxes as
well...at least it did back when the sales tax was excluded from the pump
price. A label on the pump itself details the various fuel taxes per
gallon.

And fuel taxes tend to remain high, since the rationale is to dedicate
the revenues to construction and maintenance of motorways. In times
of falling revenue and climbing costs there is pressure to use some
portion of the fuel tax money for other purposes, though it is usually
"borrowed" rather than reappropriated.
--
Don Kirkman