The GET tax is diabolical. In fact, a merchant has to (if they are smart) pass onto the consumer the GET tax on the GET tax received on the purchase! Yes, the collected tax is actually taxed AGAIN because collecting the tax is considered INCOME (unlike a sales tax which is considered a collection for the state).
This article has the best description of this I've found:
[Slightly modified for clarity] "Because the state considers the tax you collected to be income too, so you will pay a tax on that tax you collect (confusing right?). Paying 4.5% tax on the 4.5% tax actually equals 4.7025%, but the state allows you to round up a bit and you end up with a GET rate of 4.712% of the sale amount. Most businesses force
customers to pay the excise tax and then the excise tax on the excise tax, so you’ll see 4.712% on your bill, not 4.5%. On outer islands (no .5% Oahu surcharge), this means a GET rate of 4.166%. Most businesses do this because it’s common and it means that they won’t have to pay GET out of their pocket, as the customers paid it already."
http://www.ronswebsite.com/blog/hawa...al-excise-tax/
Only Hawaii can find a way to tax a tax payment. One that is required to pay rent, see a doctor, or purchase life-saving medicine. CRAZY! DIABOLICAL CRAZY.
(This example only applies to the GET taxes levied on the end-consumer, it does not even include GET taxes levied (and passed on via purchase price) from farmers, wholesalers, distributors, or other hands it passed through to get to you).
Anybody who wants to increase this crazy tax needs to be voted out of office ASAP until imprisonment for crimes against humanity becomes a viable option for them.
ETA: formatting, clarity, content
