Pennsylvania is robbing me blind. Probably you, too.

We went to buy new tires yesterday. After a long, hard decision process, we're going to stay with a smaller car for a couple more years.

And used tires really weren't working out for us.

So, I don't know about you, but when I go to make a purchase, I have a rough idea when I get to the register how much my bill will be.

Usually within a couple of cents.

A couple things worth mentioning: We were in Walmart, and the lady who wrung up our tires was remarkably nice, polite, AND competent. I probably should have proceeded directly to the lottery vending machine and bought out every ticket they had. But I digress, I had entered the pits of hell (Walmart) in order to purchase tires and had succeeded admirably.

The cashier's fingers moved with an unforeseeable quickness-and the bill was roughly fifteen dollars more than I expected it to be.

I geared up for a fight. Not just any fight. A Walmart fight. You know, the fight you have to have where the dingbat behind the counter who doesn't give a crap about their job, the economy, or the fact that they are robbing you blind. That kind of fight. To be fair, it can happen in any store, but Walmart is what it is.

My husband is a smart man. He sensed the pending storm and glanced at the work order and asked for an explanation.

The girl actually knew what she was talking about. I can't get over it. There was a tire disposal fee. I hadn't figured that in. It's robbery, but it's okay. Then, there was the tax. I'd forgotten it. Ten dollars, straight to the good ole boys in Harrisburg. That's cool.

And then there was this...

PA tire fee. $1.00. (per tire!!!!!)

PA actually gets a buck a tire. Just so they can have a dollar. This is kind of amazing to me. They GOT MONEY. Almost 11 dollars, just because I bought something! That's a reasonable amount of money, right?

No. They get a buck a tire. Just for being PA. I'll probably go to Jersey to buy tires next time. Provided they don't charge a buck a tire.