this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2026
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Explain Like I'm Five

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I mean I paid for it like I would anything else I wanted. They charge a tax at checkout. So if I buy a house and pay the whole thing off, why do I still have to pay taxes on said house when I paid the whole agreed on price in full? It would be like me buying a six pack of beer I pay for it and tax at checkout. But then timely I have to keep paying taxes on the beer even though paid in full?

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 11 points 3 weeks ago

You missed the biggest one that most anti-tax arguers don't think about. It's not the fact that you're paying taxes to support society that's the problem, it's how that money is being applied correctly. A tax based on use/demand makes sense in some instances, like road maintenance and development tied to gas tax. But things like schools and utilities should be based on what they need to support the community, not how often it gets used.

But if your taxes in any area is being wasted or misdirected, that is where you should be angry, not at the fact you're paying a tax for something. Better utilization and less fraud mean lower taxes with the same application, which is what you were wanting.

But how many citizens are even aware of where the money goes? They just see their bill and think they're paying too much, not why.