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Subject: Re: Duty free goods Posted on: Sat, 06 Nov 2004 07:21:32 PST

"Wallbanger" wrote in message
news:418cd884$0$6563$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> Can a visitor claim the sales tax back from goods purchased. I am going to
> California and hope to buy some goods worth about $500 and take them with
> me
> to Australia
Hi.
There is no such site, because there's no getting sales tax back. Unlike
many countries, our sales tax is a state matter and not national. Admin of
sales tax return would be a hopeless mess. Some states (Oregon is example)
have zero tax. Others have a very small tax. Some places you will pay
around 8 or 9 percent. Thankfully, the rate is much lower than in
countries that have VAT.
Hopefully, if you come back here in a few years, we will have gone to a
national sales tax in lieu of our income tax. Then, you can probably get
the 15-20% back that you will be paying.
BTW, in California the tax on $500 is about the price of a decent lunch for
two.
Hope this helps.