The association representing hotel owners is trying to play down the strike, saying it will not cause serious disruption to business as occupancy rates are currently low.

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Add it up: federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, myriad federal excise taxes (check out your phone bill), state income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, gasoline taxes, electricity taxes, water taxes, sewage taxes, airline taxes, hotel occupancy taxes (if you vacation or travel for business), road tolls, vehicle registration fees, driving license fees, marriage license fees and marriage penalties (Washington's version of family values is to tax people for getting married), dog license fees, etc.

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The table to the right shows the total occupancy cost for the best office space in the central business district of 41 cities.

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High occupancy and a shortage of available building space in traditional business districts make it a good time to go into that niche, he said.

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The better business judgment, which they seem to be exercising, is to keep on expanding those golden arches for maximum occupancy.

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But if occupancy in Southern Cross's homes falls significantly in the coming weeks, the losses generated by the business may increase to an extent that any pretence that it is a going concern will become impossible.

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