| Tax time is coming around again. I'm reminded | | | | their return without screaming. That's right, tax prep |
| because I just placed my order for the 2007 version | | | | would become the no scream zone. Maybe even no |
| of TurboTax, which is a software application that | | | | cursing ... okay, I lost my head. Anyway, I enjoy cursing |
| guides me through federal and Pennsylvania tax return | | | | at my return. It's interesting that our government has |
| preparation. The damn tax code has become so | | | | too much money and yet not enough. A duality that |
| complex, you really need either a good accountant or | | | | would interest a quantum mechanics researcher. |
| a tax package to get it right. Taxes are everywhere, | | | | Here's the issue: the government needs more money |
| on everything. Federal income tax, Social Security, | | | | to fund entitlements such as Social Security and |
| Medicare, federal death tax, Medicaid, state income | | | | Medicare, but a big tax increase might plunge the |
| tax, state sales tax, state death tax ... let me catch my | | | | economy into recession. And recessions are not good |
| breath. Certain cities or counties get you for an income | | | | for incumbent politicians. The simple truth is that people |
| tax or a wage tax or maybe even a sales tax. Then | | | | should be allowed to keep the bulk of the money they |
| there are the smaller but still irritating levies like federal | | | | earn. They know what they need better than a |
| and state gasoline taxes, the state automobile | | | | government bureaucrat. Plus, the more an |
| registration tax, the hotel room occupancy tax (talk | | | | entrepreneur can keep, the more likely she is to invest |
| about taxation without representation!) and the federal | | | | her money in a small business, and that's what drives |
| telephone taxes (check out your phone bill for the | | | | the economy. JFK knew that and so did Reagan and |
| beloved Federal Subscriber Line Charge and the | | | | Bush 43. Entitlements are out of control. Already |
| smaller, but still irritating Federal Universal Service Fee). | | | | Medicare has more money going out in benefits than |
| And if you have a small business, well, I won't get into | | | | tax payments coming in. Social Security is still in the |
| that. They tax you when you earn, they tax you when | | | | black, but economists predict 2017 as the date it goes |
| you buy and they tax you when you die. Whatever | | | | into the red. To fund these deficits, the government |
| you do, the Taxman has his hand in your pocket. If | | | | has to increase its borrowing, raise taxes or divert |
| they could figure out how to do it, they'd tax you for | | | | funds from other programs. These are not good |
| bodily functions. Maybe a little meter on the toilet. Two | | | | alternatives, so why don't we actually try to fix these |
| cents per flush. Wireless, of course. And think about | | | | creaky old programs. To put it bluntly, they suck. No |
| the skillions of hours that are wasted on tax planning, | | | | rational young person would invest his money in Social |
| preparation and collection. Tax attorneys, tax | | | | Security if he had a choice. Let's fix the damn thing! |
| accountants, tax return software, IRS employees, | | | | Unfortunately, it's not going to happen. Here's a bold |
| state and local tax collectors, they are all working day | | | | prediction - they'll eventually put together a bipartisan, |
| and night on our taxes. While you're sleeping innocently | | | | blue ribbon, lip smacking panel of old pols and they'll |
| in your bed, an IRS computer is selecting you for an | | | | recommend ... hold your breath ... raising Social Security |
| audit. And if you are in a hotel, you're paying tax to | | | | taxes. Let's face it, we fifty plus citizens are pretty |
| sleep while that IRS computer is humming away. Your | | | | demanding. We coughed up money supporting prior |
| federal government at work. I read somewhere that | | | | generations, so we want our fair share of the benefits |
| the top half of earners pay 96% of federal income | | | | when we get older. Without these entitlements, many |
| taxes while the lower half pays 4%. The principle that | | | | baby boomers will have a tough retirement. If you can |
| a person with a larger income should pay more in | | | | afford to retire. But let's be fair and look at it from the |
| taxes is fair, but 96% seems a bit extreme. Every | | | | point of the twenty something working stiff. The ratio |
| citizen with a decent income, it seems to me, should | | | | of retired persons to workers is getting worse year by |
| pay something in taxes. Even if it's only a couple of | | | | year. A young guy or gal has forty or fifty years of |
| bucks withheld from each paycheck, at least you're | | | | ever increasing Social Security taxes to pay. They are |
| holding up your end as best you can. My personal | | | | not happy and I don't blame them. |
| choice would be for a flat income tax. No tax on the | | | | Dan Ronco's expertise in engineering and computer |
| first twenty five grand, then 15% on everything after | | | | science infuses his fast-paced techno-thriller Unholy |
| that. Or something similar. Allow a few deductibles | | | | Domain with detail and authenticity. His second novel, it |
| such as spouse and children, mortgage and medical. | | | | warns of the looming clash between religion and |
| Keep it really simple, so that a normal person could file | | | | advanced science. |