Re: Best data type to use for sales tax percent

On Thu, 8 Oct 2009, Lew wrote:

> That will fail for the scenario that Christope Pettus pointed out.
> California is not the only state with sales tax specified to a quarter
> point., or even a tenth of a point as in Missouri, where a local sales tax
> can be 9.241%, and equal or exceed 10%, as in Alabama, Arizona, California
> and Illinois.
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_States>

   Good points, Lew. My response was specific to making the field
specification the same as the significant digits specification, not the data
domain, but I accept your correction as completely valid.

   Here in Oregon there is no sales tax. Each time it's proposed it's
rejected by voters as heretical. Of course we have some of the highest
income and property taxes around and other "fees" that serve in lieu of
sales tax revenues. But, the majority of voting folks think that having
out-of-state visitor also pay for government services by paying a sales tax
is a Bad Thing. We also are not allowed to fuel our own vehicles (New Jersey
is the only other state with that prohabition), and that's another religious
issue with most voters. Sigh. Can I generalze by writing that every state
government is dysfunctional?

Rich