Job Discussion Forums

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject:

The city tax did increase a ton here in Yokosuka, and I guess I feel like the increase isn't worth what I get. The library's ok, the parks are ok, but there really doesn't seem to be that much available for free here. I guess I need to go and find out what services I can get for free or have access to in my town. And as for water and sewage...don't we pay for that in a monthly bill??? Train lines??? The Keikyu is always running late...I dunno, let me stop complaining... Sad

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Our tax is nearly double yours and based on a salary I no longer have.

chollimaspeed · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 120

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Synne · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 269 Location: Tohoku

I don't think a decrease in taxes is anywhere close...unfortuantely you just have to suck it up and take one for the ol' Japan Brigade.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

I heard that, Synne! A whole lot of good and a whole lot of bad, eh?
We had no luck finding a sympathetic ear at the city office, you know, perhaps try to stretch out the payments---no dice. Instead, we were told that even people who have no jobs still have to pay. Whoa!
Enjoy,
s

Firestarter2 · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Osaka

I read in the paper a while back that local taxes are increasing and national ones decreasing (as someone else stated as well). It will just take a bit of time for everything to balance out I suppose. As mentioned though, local services are generally so good in Japan it's hard to complain and overall taxes are still low.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

people who are on SOFA don't have to pay utilities if they live on base.
Japanese people and people like me end up having to pick up the tab.
So OP I am not sure what you have to complain about.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:03 am Post subject:

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 11:19 am Post subject:

I didn't start this thread to have an open forum to complain about what SOFA people get and do not get. I just was a lil pissed off about my taxes. But let me clarify some things for all of you out there who don't know what they are talking about.

I'm SOFA sponsored (for the time being) but came here on a work visa. I pay city and ward tax EVEN though I CANNOT register my address and cannot get a gaijin card. (This makes it incredibly hard to get or keep a bank account or do anything else that a gaijin card is required for.) I have fought this tooth and nail, because SOFA ppl who work in the Japanese economy are required to pay all local and ward taxes plus income tax out of their checks, BUT cannot get any help from the govt. or the military base, when it comes to getting a gaijin card. Base id cards are not accepted at most places as a form of id either. It is also illegal to possess a base id card and a gaijin card at the same time.

Ok so why do I have to pay residence tax if I'm not even really considered a resident? Because that's the rule set by the Japanese govt.
I have debated and argued time and time about this and gotten nothing but a headache.

FYI-When I was forced to switch my work visa over to a SOFA visa, I also had to turn in my gaijin card. That's one of the biggest regrets I have. Why did I do it? Because I love my husband and wanted to support him, while he was over here in Japan.

My husband is not military but rather a local-hire base worker. We live off-base and pay all of our rent and utilities on our own. Because he doesn't have college degree, the only job he could really find in Japan was on a military base--where a degree is not always necessary. A lot of services are not available to us simply b/c he is a base-worker and not a military member. I rarely ever shop on base, because the food is better quality in town and I prefer to support the local farmers. And every time some dumb sailor kills/rapes/steals from someone- the whole community, whether you are military or just a base worker- gets punished. I have a SOFA visa and pay out the arse in taxes, utilities and rent--and then get a "curfew" when some dumb sailor commits a crime out in town.

While we get some "benefits" like a cheap car and use of an American post office, in the end the aggravation and problems the base gives us while living here in Japan really isn't worth it in my opinion.

A lot of people complain about the base and it well understood why, but next time you talk about SOFA sponsored ppl, make sure you have all the facts right.
Thanks.

And in the end, an increase in city tax still suxs. Rolling Eyes

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

Yona Yona · Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 26

My city tax jumped from 12,000 a month to 28,000 a month.

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

Yes, it sucks. I got hit for 240,000 yen in western Tokyo and my first thought was, "Huh, I knew paying 5% tax was too good to be true." Still, it's a lot less than I pay in Australia now. It just looks scary because you get one big bill.