New Gods of North America.

Chapter 554 Taxes and Fees
After the dance ended, Wayne acted as if nothing had happened, escorting Inessa back to the area where the ladies were gathered. He then returned to his original spot, waiting for the "three rounds of dancing" to pass before heading to the dining table for food.
At this time, the guests at the ball were roughly arranged in a "品" shape, with the men's and women's areas on the left and right sides respectively, and the "VIP area" in the middle. Between the men's and women's areas was a band playing dance music, and opposite that was a long table with various delicacies.

However, the hierarchy in the United States is quite unique. Traditionally, the "VIP area" only exists at the beginning and near the end of the ball. In between, the hosts and distinguished guests either quickly disappear or gradually mingle with the other guests, and anyone can go there.

In fact, as long as the guests don't rush to speak before the important figures, even ordinary young men can walk up to the small platform and say "Listen to me for a few words" when no one else is speaking, which is not considered "overstepping their bounds"—of course, whether anyone is listening is another matter.

Wayne was called upon by both the host and the guest of honor, and even participated in the opening "first dance," so he was receiving quite a bit of attention.
Many guests were chatting in small groups, and their eyes would also fall on them, giving the impression that they were "ready to strike up a conversation" at any moment. Since Wayne was free anyway, he decided to take the initiative and went straight to the trio of "two old men and one new man".

The two old birds were initially worried that they might have said something inappropriate that Wayne had overheard. When they saw Wayne approaching, they even showed a slight look of wariness.
But Wayne wasn't so bored as to argue with an old hand who thought "fingerprints are pseudoscience." After a brief and formal self-introduction, the trio's identities were as Wayne expected: they were indeed all administrative officers in the city hall. The two veterans were a finance officer and a tax officer, while the rookie was a slave inspector who hadn't been with the company for very long.

"Mr. Wayne, don't you run a detective agency? How come your business involves restaurants and food sales?"

The tax assessor, realizing he might have misspoke earlier, became much more talkative and proactive in the conversation, seemingly trying to take control of the topic. "So, you'd like to know what permits you need and what taxes you need to pay?"

Wayne nodded and smiled, his expression saying "I understand without saying a word." "It's mainly because the number of agents in the detective agency is gradually increasing, and the cost of food is getting a bit high. So I was thinking of opening a restaurant as well, which might help balance things out."

The newbie seemed to remember the detective agency's food, and chimed in, "Mr. Wayne's detective agency has pretty good food. Last time they were issuing lottery tickets, I bought hot dogs and hamburgers along the way. It's definitely affordable and has some unique flavors."

Well……

Wayne glanced cautiously at the rookie. The guy seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He probably didn't lose money on the lottery last time... right?

After a few words, the tax official felt he had grasped the situation and quickly began to elaborate in his area of ​​expertise:
"If that's the case, then the most significant taxes and fees affecting opening a restaurant and selling food are mainly state property tax and business tax. Property tax is levied based on your restaurant's property and the land it occupies, while business tax includes industry tax and a license fee for obtaining operating permits."

"The federal government does not directly levy taxes on restaurant operations, but due to tariffs, some imported industrial products, decoration materials, and ingredients are actually taxed in advance, which will also affect your costs—in fact, the impact may be quite significant."

"In addition, the federal government will levy specific sales taxes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and state head taxes will be required for employees. If the city or the street in question needs repairs, there will also be some apportionment fees or temporary special taxes."

After rattling off a long list of information in one breath, the tax official remained relaxed. "I read in the newspaper that Mr. Wayne, you have an 'academic' background, so this kind of work shouldn't be difficult for you. Since you've chosen to pursue a career in detective work and have gained recognition, I suppose you must have studied at a 'law school' or an 'arts and sciences academy'?"

“I’m actually from the seminary…” Wayne’s expression remained unchanged, and he added, “I studied history.”

"Forehead……"

This surprised the two veterans a little. The finance official reacted quickly, "This is indeed a bit unexpected. I didn't expect that the guidance of the Holy Spirit could be helpful in the investigation. Perhaps it can train people's critical thinking ability and perseverance."

"If needed, Mr. Wayne, perhaps you could consider seeking help from alumni of the academy? Tax matters are more complex than laymen imagine, and it may be necessary to have professionals to make the most reasonable arrangements."

Wayne nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. Also, if I want to source some ingredients from Kansas and produce some meat products to sell in the city, what taxes and fees are involved?"

The tax official, as always, was experienced. "Purchasing ingredients from out of state, in addition to the business tax I just mentioned, may also involve some other industry taxes—some state-owned industries are protected, similar to federal 'tariffs,' but the amount won't be too high. As for selling meat products within the city, that requires..."

Then came another long, drawn-out explanation. To give Wayne a general idea, the tax official cited laws and regulations from various places, making the presentation even longer, lasting almost until the end of the third dance.
Overall, however, the taxes levied on businesses in the Southern states where Virginia is located are relatively low. License fees account for almost half of business taxes, and the rest are mainly property taxes and some local apportionments. But all of these combined do not have as much of an "indirect impact" as tariffs, which have import and export tariffs of up to 45% on some goods. Business taxes are just a drop in the ocean compared to that.

When the topic of tariffs came up, the tax officials couldn't help but complain, which made Wayne understand why Southerners were dissatisfied with the federal government's high tariff policies:
"Don't be fooled by the fact that the federal government's tax revenue is not low; most of it is used in the northern states and spent on maintaining the nascent industries and infrastructure in the north."

"On the contrary, we Southerners not only have to bear the loss of sales caused by the reciprocal tariffs from various countries, but also have our welfare expenses, which should have been used to benefit the public, reduced as a result. It is clear that our Southern states are the main bearers of tariffs, and the industrial products from the North have basically no market in the Old World and Windsor, while also raising our cost of living."

Fortunately, Wayne's fast food restaurant doesn't target the high-end market; it doesn't use imported decor, ingredients, or alcohol, and he doesn't plan to export anything.
Whether the federal tax revenue is high or low has nothing to do with Wayne.

So Wayne just listened casually, without intending to discuss things like "the importance of supporting local industries."

He also casually remarked, "Indeed. Looking at the proportions alone, at least a significant portion of what people spend at upscale restaurants is actually 'consuming tariffs'."

(End of this chapter)