Make Honest, Transparent Pricing a Requirement

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

When you buy food at a grocery, there is a nutrition label required. On cigarettes, 30% of the packaging is a health warning. I own a stroller that actually has a warning label on it warning the user to take the child out of the stroller before you fold it. Have you ever read a prospectus? You know government wants to mandate health insurers spend no more than X% on "administration" and other overhead.

OK, so we ostensibly want people to have information. We don't necessarily "trust" government to do it- but that's the goal of lots of supporters of bigger government.

So, why not have the cost of government accurately accounted for? I'm speaking specifically of gasoline. Why is the price of gasoline listed at $3.95 in downtown Chicago when the FACT of the matter is that .44 cents of every gallon of gasoline in Cook County, IL is one tax or other?

Well, it turns out that not only is this information unavailable-- gas station owners are actually PROHIBITED from posting the pre-tax price per gallon.

I found this out when I asked the simple question: Gas stations advertise a discounted price with the miniscule * with car wash * requirement, wouldn't it be clever if a savvy gas station owner listed the PRE-TAX price of gasoline-- especially in high-tax areas-- to get people in; and then blame the true cost on taxes?

You don't even get an itemized receipt for gas that tells you how much tax you pay as you do with other products.

I think it's time to not only "allow" it, but mandate it. Consumers should ALWAYS know what they're paying in direct taxes hidden taxes are another, more complicated story-- like the true cost of food before agricultural subsidies, and of course ethanol subsidies-- but the cost of direct, point of purchase, and other taxes should ALWAYS be clearly, transparently exposed.

And whenever a product or service is the subject of a proposed new tax, new regulation, or tax increase-- a consumer warning notice should be posted that lists the proposed change, the bill, the representatives and co-sponsors, and their phone numbers:

"A proposal to increase the tax on this product is pending in the IL House of Representatives, HB whatever, by so and so, with so and so's co-sponsoring the bill. To voice your opinion, call: 555..."

[fairlycrazy23]

I think this is a good idea, this is also part of why I would like to go to the Fair tax, there would no longer be embedded federal taxes in the price of domestic products, but instead would be a line on the receipt for the fair tax. People would also get there full pay check (minus state taxes and voluntary deductions).

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

If the price of gas was itemized, showing all the levels of govt taxation, then the general public could not claim that the oil industry is greedy, and that it is govt that makes the most profit off each purchased gallon.
Not only would I suggest listing each govt tax, but I would also show that the gas retailer makes two or three cents a gallon, and the gas refiner makes four of five cents.
The public would clearly see who is ripping them off.

[floridayankee]

Jan 11, 2011 12:11:23 GMT -5 fairlycrazy23 said:

I think this is a good idea, this is also part of why I would like to go to the Fair tax, there would no longer be embedded federal taxes in the price of domestic products,

In a true fair tax situation, you're correct. But, We're talking about our government. As the old man used to say...they'd f-up a wet dream if they could find a way.