fighting with functions

I could use a little help. click on the link to see my php code for a project that creates an array with a list or items and their cost and calculates tax by using a function called getTax() and also creates a balance by adding the cost plus the tax in a second function called getBalance(). I must also create a table where the cells automatically load so the end result looks like this. http://www.areawebdirectory.net/taxtable2.txt

Item          Cost          Tax          Running Total
Car          10000.00    600          10600.00
Pencil       1.00           .06            10601.06
Book        14.95         .097         10616.98

I cant seem to first be able to declare my array and succeed at naming the key as item and the value as price. I have attempted to use variations of the following with no success. $items = array ( 0 => array ("item"=>"car","price"=>15000, "tax"=>.065 ), 1 => array ("item"=>"pencil","price"=>1, "tax"=>.065 ), 2 => array ("item"=>"book","price"=>14.95, "tax"=>.065)

);    
Without being able to declare the key as item and the value as price I am not sure how to pass these items into my function and I am riddled with error messages. I think my base problem is to either fix how I am declaring the array so I may reference "item" and "price" as I am now doing in my functions or learn how to change the functions accordingly.

I am also pretty sure that my functions are not quite right. I am also not sure how to link the right answers to get my table to print as above. Please note that I have included a while loop after my array just to prove that my array is working. It is needed part of my program. I also have given each cell in my table some text just so I can find them when I have figured out how to create the right reference links. I am sorry that I need as much help with this. Sadly I have been at this for almost two weeks trying to solve it. Thanks, Sara