An 

excise tax is an indirect tax charged on the sale of a particular good. Excise taxes fall
into one of two categories: ad valorem and specific. Ad valorem excise taxes are fixed
percentage rates assessed on particular goods or services. Specific taxes are fixed dollar
amounts applied to certain purchases. In some cases, governments levy excise taxes on
goods that have a high social cost, such as cigarettes and alcohol, and for this reason, these
taxes are sometimes called sin taxes.

What is the benefit of tax?

You know that saying, “You get what you pay for”?

I like the things that my taxes pay for.

I like my children getting a great education.

I like knowing that if I am ill, I can go to hospital and get proper treatment, without a bill.

I like having a well trained police force that won’t shoot me because they are nervous.

I like well-maintained roads and good cycle paths.

I like a good fire service.

I like a military which has won the Nobel Peace Prize for peace-keeping.

I like a good social welfare safety net. I like sick pay, maternity pay, unemployment benefit.

I like a tax office that is helpful and professional.

I like universities which my children can pay for, without running up debt.

I like knowing that food standards are high.

I like clean drinking water in my tap.

I like having parks with outdoor gyms and playgrounds and skate parks in them.

I like libraries with workshop areas and language labs and online lending.

I like knowing that my neighbours will never go hungry.

I could go on and on. It boils down to liking the things my taxes pay for.
Yes, it’s possible that over my lifetime I might pay more into taxes than I get out, but I still think
it’s worth it to live in a society where people are not afraid.
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