Tuesday, June 15, 2010

We would never increase taxes, we're Republicans!


That’s what the Georgia Legislature said during its session earlier this year. And they didn’t, or kinda didn’t.

We in the legal business have found out about the kinda part. Filing a lawsuit used to require about an $80 fee. It’s now over $200. Want to file a motion in a pending case? Give the clerk a dollar. Want to file an appeal? Need the case record? That’ll be ten bucks a page. That one created a big howl from members of the Bar and kinda got fixed by the parties’ lawyers having to come to an agreement as to what the record “is” and if they can’t, have a hearing where the Judge decides what the record “is,” all at an hourly rate of course that will edge up towards the cost of the extortionate clerks’ fee.

Does the money go to the court? That would be a big no - it goes straight to the state government.

That’s the stuff I know about in my little corner of the state. I wonder what other “non-taxes” they’ve imposed.

So how are your states not increasing taxes?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think they got the idea from Texas. We don't have a state income tax, but boy do they sock us with fees.

In a way, they're shooting themselves in the foot. I know that most of the architects go out of state now to get their license because the fees are so insanely high here. The legislature had assumed that the employers would pay it- they don't.

Lifehiker said...

How about the pending tax on every can or bottle of soft drinks in New York? Helps the state, and helps some people lose a little weight - or so they say. I think the former is more likely. But, we've got an ugly budget to balance, and I don't like soft drinks very much.

Lifehiker said...

How about the pending tax on every can or bottle of soft drinks in New York? Helps the state, and helps some people lose a little weight - or so they say. I think the former is more likely. But, we've got an ugly budget to balance, and I don't like soft drinks very much.