Tax hikes you might not notice...

A tax hike is always easier to pass if regulators can make the case it’s one you’re not “obligated” to pay. Here are five increases the government may be considering:

1. Gas: We all remember the dog days of $4 a gallon. It wasn’t a pleasant time. But it forced people (and companies) to consider other options like carpooling, public transportation and
   telecommuting. For that reason an increased gas tax could become a very
   real possibility, with the government claiming it’s a tax consumers can
   avoid if they minimize their gas usage.
2. Online: With so many consumers doing their shopping online these days, the notion of adding an “online sales tax” has been proposed several times. It’s a dicey proposition, as there’s
   so much to regulate, and it could end up having a negative overall
   impact for online retailers, but it’s another “avoidable” tax a lot of
   taxpayers wouldn’t be subject to. The catch: As online shopping
   continues to gain popularity, the return from this type of tax would
   increase substantially.
3. Energy: Energy taxes are being sold to the public under the guise that “we’re all in this together.” In other words, we can all help make things better by contributing just a little bit more.
   Meanwhile, individual taxpayers and businesses can minimize the blow
   by taking measures to cut down on electricity and other energy sources.
4. Alcohol and tobacco: “Sin taxes” are the easiest for politicians to sell because they’re levied against people who choose to spend money on vices. Proponents of such taxes actually help
   make the argument by telling those affected by them, “If you don’t like
   it, quit.”
5. Corporate: The unemployment rate is brimming, and that means a ton of unemployment insurance claims, the majority of which are funded by business taxes. In order to keep replenishing that
   pot, the government could end up imposing additional “unemployment”
   taxes on businesses. It’s a bait-and-switch tactic that ultimately
   penalizes consumers, who wind up paying for the increases via
   lower wages and other cuts.

So what do you think? Would you consider any of these cuts a worthwhile alternative to increasing taxes on everyone? Are there any areas we missed here? We’d love to read what you think in the comments
section below.

Source: “8 Sneaky Ways to Raise Taxes,” by Rick Newman, U.S. News and World Report, 2/2/10 and www.businessbrief.com