Sales tax in the United States is primarily levied by state governments. Some states also allow subordinate local governments, such as counties, cities, or districts, to levy additional sales tax on top of the state tax.

So, in practice, it is jointly levied by the state government and the local governments under its jurisdiction.

The federal government does not levy a sales tax.

Furthermore, the sales tax rates vary from state to state in the United States.

States with lower rates, such as Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon, have no statewide sales tax.

California, for instance, has a standard sales tax rate of 7.25%, with some regions adding an additional percentage on top of that.

Meanwhile, Alaska has no uniform statewide sales tax, but over 100 local jurisdictions or districts in the state collect their own sales tax. The specific rates vary by region and may even change seasonally.

For example, Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, has no local sales tax, but Arctic Town has a local sales tax rate of 5.5%. Ketchikan, Alaska’s southernmost city, has a sales tax rate of 5.5% in the winter, which rises to 8% from April to October.

Overall, the average combined state and local sales tax rate in Alaska is approximately 1.76%.

But Crown Territory’s 20% sales tax would push its rate to the very peak for Alaska.

Even in Louisiana, the state with the highest sales tax in the United States, the combined state and local rate is only 10.0%.

How could Crown Territory dare to double it?

Daisen simply couldn’t comprehend it.

Feng Shan guessed what Daisen was thinking. A 20% sales tax was definitely high; he had to admit that.

He had discussed the future development of Crown Territory with Frank the other day.

The two of them had an in-depth discussion about various possibilities and development paths, trying to find a sustainable way forward for the place.

They both agreed on pursuing a tourism-based model.

Crown Territory possessed a unique natural landscape—magnificent snowy mountains, vast wilderness, and clear lakes—all possessing an intoxicating beauty.

However, agreement was one thing.

Frank wasn’t optimistic about the project. After all, Crown Territory was simply too remote, with hundreds of kilometers of uninhabited land in every direction. Aside from its natural scenery, it had nothing else to offer.

Attracting tourists to such a remote location would certainly be no easy task.

With no developed infrastructure and no variety of recreational activities, it would be difficult to make tourists stay for long relying on natural scenery alone.

Recruiting businesses was a key issue.

Businesspeople chase profits; they won’t get out of bed if there isn’t money to be made.

This was a practical consideration. Without a path to profitability, no one would invest their cold, hard cash in Crown Territory for no reason.

After all, investing is about getting a return. In the world of business, the profit motive is a factor that cannot be ignored.

Of course, the reputation of Chinese tourists as being generous and spending lavishly was known across the globe, but Feng Shan had not yet proven Crown Territory’s underlying value.

Although the spending power of Chinese tourists presented a potential market opportunity for Crown Territory, relying on this reputation alone was not enough.

Crown Territory needed to demonstrate sufficient appeal and potential to attract the attention of investors.

But just because no one else could see Crown Territory’s potential value didn’t mean it didn’t exist.

True treasures are often hidden in unknown corners.

Feng Shan possessed the tribal Fire Seed, and he also had the River Beach providing a continuous stream of Soul Power.

This was Crown Territory’s greatest advantage.

The tribal Fire Seed symbolized heritage and hope, bringing a mysterious and powerful force to Crown Territory.

And the continuous support of Soul Power from the River Beach provided sustained momentum for Crown Territory’s development.

With these precious resources, Feng Shan was confident he could turn Crown Territory into a magical place.

And Jenny’s group, Little Lotti, and the emotionally and physically traumatized female employees were the best examples.

They had found warmth and hope in Crown Territory, regaining the courage to live.

This was ample proof that Crown Territory possessed a power to heal and transform.

This power was not just physical, but spiritual as well.

It could attract people who longed to find inner peace and growth, injecting new vitality into Crown Territory’s development.

There was also the ever-expanding moss field, the vegetable garden with its endless supply of produce, and the flourishing fruit trees.

Oh, right. Speaking of fruit trees.

Feng Shan decided to purchase mature fruit trees directly from outside.

The saplings currently at the camp, even with the tribal Fire Seed, would need at least another year to mature and bear fruit.

Feng Shan could afford to wait, but the camp couldn’t, the tourists couldn’t, and the businesses couldn’t either.

Unless he used the Fire Seed to force the saplings to grow in a short period of time.

But doing so would probably have the FBI knocking on his door the very next day. The solution was to buy fully grown fruit trees directly, saving a great deal of cultivation time. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A one-step solution.

Furthermore, Crown Territory’s independent and autonomous status gave it excellent autonomy in terms of taxation, providing a certain flexibility and advantage for development.

Frank suggested using a floating tax rate, as it could be adjusted according to market changes and economic development, making it more flexible for different situations.

However, Feng Shan thought this method was too troublesome and preferred a simpler, more direct approach.

A single, flat tax rate.

It would be easier to manage and implement.

But Frank believed that while a flat-rate tax was simple and direct, it also had its problems.

It might not fully account for the actual conditions of different industries, leading to some businesses being overburdened while others benefited too much.

Furthermore, a flat-rate tax lacks flexibility and cannot be adjusted in a timely manner in response to economic changes.

Feng Shan had his own considerations, but he couldn’t explain them to Frank. This led to a disagreement over tax policy where neither could convince the other. In a fit of anger, Frank declared he was done with Crown Territory and didn’t care if it lived or died.