I got a bill for an expensive item sold to me in upstate New York near Syracuse. The sales tax was 8.5%.
I read a sales tax guide by New York City Department of Finance that seems to say that the sales tax in New York state is 4% and the tax in New York City is an additional 4.5%. I interpret this as meaning that I should be paying the additional 4.5% only on items purchased in New York City. Did I interpret this wrong? Is the sales tax on general goods 8.5% no matter where they are purchased in New York?