Ceres shoppers felt the pinch of higher taxes April 1 when the newly enacted 1 percent sales tax hike kicked in.
Sales made in Ceres are now subjected to a 8.875 percent sales tax. That's a half-cent higher than what shoppers in all the other cities in Stanislaus County pay, according to the state Board of Equalization. Ceres voters increased the sales tax in 2007 when it passed Measure H for public safety.
The combination of all sales taxes means that a shopper pays $17.75 in tax on a $200 taxable sale. The same tax at a store elsewhere is $16.75. The sales tax on a $40,000 truck would be $3,550 in Ceres while elsewhere would cost $3,350, or $200 more.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Legislature voted to increase the state sales tax as a way to close the state budget shortfall. The extra taxes will bring in $12.5 billion more as part of a $42 billion deficit-closing plan to help stave off larger cuts to education and health care.
Californians will also see the cost of registering their vehicles go up by 0.5 percent from next month until July 1, 2011. Income taxes are also going up by 0.025 percent.
Businesses leaders predict that the temporary tax increase could have a chilling effect on sales and prolong the economic recession.
The temporary tax will raise an estimated $5.8 billion before it sunsets on July 1, 2011. It may go for another year if voters agree to extend it as part of a budget-related initiatives in the May 19 special election.
Mary Lopez, the manager of the Ceres Wal-Mart, said she's not heard any complaints about the tax rate in Ceres. She said she doubts that she loses any sales to neighboring city stores on account of the small savings one would realize.
Sales made in Ceres are now subjected to a 8.875 percent sales tax. That's a half-cent higher than what shoppers in all the other cities in Stanislaus County pay, according to the state Board of Equalization. Ceres voters increased the sales tax in 2007 when it passed Measure H for public safety.
The combination of all sales taxes means that a shopper pays $17.75 in tax on a $200 taxable sale. The same tax at a store elsewhere is $16.75. The sales tax on a $40,000 truck would be $3,550 in Ceres while elsewhere would cost $3,350, or $200 more.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Legislature voted to increase the state sales tax as a way to close the state budget shortfall. The extra taxes will bring in $12.5 billion more as part of a $42 billion deficit-closing plan to help stave off larger cuts to education and health care.
Californians will also see the cost of registering their vehicles go up by 0.5 percent from next month until July 1, 2011. Income taxes are also going up by 0.025 percent.
Businesses leaders predict that the temporary tax increase could have a chilling effect on sales and prolong the economic recession.
The temporary tax will raise an estimated $5.8 billion before it sunsets on July 1, 2011. It may go for another year if voters agree to extend it as part of a budget-related initiatives in the May 19 special election.
Mary Lopez, the manager of the Ceres Wal-Mart, said she's not heard any complaints about the tax rate in Ceres. She said she doubts that she loses any sales to neighboring city stores on account of the small savings one would realize.
