->  DW> We have value-added taxes here in Canada. I think they exist in 
->  DW> the States too.  
  
-> here, we have sales tax that is paid when you purchase something... 

 DW> Same thing. Different name. We call them "sales taxes" here. The 
 DW> province gets 8% of the original value, and the federal government
 DW> gets  6%, so the price goes up by 14% altogether. In Britain, as
 DW> far as I  recall, they have a "value added tax" of 15%. Pretty much
 DW> the same.    

yup! exactly... where i am, one pays (IIRC) 3% or 7% depending on if they
are in the city or not... the county gets 3% and the city gets 4%... since
the city is in the county, the county gets their's also so you pay both 3%
and 4% when you purchase "standard" materials in the city...
"standard" being most things other than food and fuel... there's
a 1% or 2% food tax... i don't every really fret about it as i just pay
what the clerks tell me the total is but the receipts do carry the
breakdown...

)\/(ark