taxes, tea baggers, and state budgets

I realize this is an anathema to lots (LOTS) of my friends and relatives, but there is something that I have never understood about taxes.

Some things have sales tax on them and others don't. Some of these things I understand. Like clothes, shoes, computers, birthday cards, etc., being subject to sales tax, but food and drugs NOT having sales tax.

The list of things subject to sales tax and the list of things exempt are both extensive, and both vary from state to state. Okay.

However, at least in Kentucky (and I think Kentucky is typical), services are not subject to the sales tax This results in some seriously bizarre situations (and people like lawyers will probably not agree with my logic here...). So if I wash all my own clothes and sheets and towels, etc., and iron my own clothes and shirts, etc., I have to pay sales tax on the following: the washer and dryer; the ironing board; the iron; the detergent, stain remover, bleach, fabric softener, starch, etc., required to do a decent job of washing same. I can probably think of a few other related items if I work on it. HOWEVER, if I take ALL my clothes and laundry to a cleaner who also does laundry, I can get all my clothes cleaned and washed and ironed, and all my linen laundered, ironed, and hung, so long as I can manage to pay their bill, and there is NO SALES TAX to pay. On top of which, I assume that the company that does the cleaning, washing and ironing not only does not pay sales tax on the equipment and products they use, they also deduct these expenses as well as the wages paid to the people who take care of my laundry, AND write off all the taxes, insurance, interest, depreciation, etc., on their equipment and buildings...

This makes no sense to me; it seems only reasonable that I should have to pay sales tax on the bills to get these good people to do my laundry and cleaning for me when I have to pay sales tax on everything required to do all the work myself.

Another example of this: I do not cut my own hair, although I wash it and dry it myself most of the time. I also no longer care for my toenails, etc., although I used to. I do still take care of my fingernails.

But why is it that I must pay sales tax on shampoo, conditioner, dye (although I do not use it, at least not yet!), chemicals, etc. for permanents (don't use them, either, at least not yet!), scissors, mirrors, etc., if I take care of my own hair (my husband used to be my hair-cutter, back when I was young and it was long and straight), but if I get somebody else to take care of it, there's no sales tax on what he or she charges?!? Sorry, folks, it makes NO SENSE to me. I also don't have to pay sales tax to get the guys at the local shop to give me a pedicure, where they provide all the equipment, etc., needed, including little things like nail polish and cream. But if I purchase the products, I must pay sales tax. This makes no sense to me.