[Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics

[brad haslett]

Wally,

Since we seem to be the only Tenneseans I'm aware of
on the list I'll keep this discussion local in nature.
 As you are probably aware, Shelby County (Memphis)
has more debt than the rest of Tennessee combined. 
Plus, were adding another $250 million to the existing
$1.3 billion to build a basketball stadium.  Of course
we have the Pyramid that isn't paid for yet.  The last
number I heard was that 60% plus of the states social
welfare spending went to Shelby County.  The Memphis
city schools have two years to clean their act up or
be taken over by the State.  Yesterday, Mayor Herenton
announced plans to have the county take over the city
schools since he failed to have the city merge with
the county schools under his command.  Whats my point?
 You can't possibly throw enough money toward this end
of the state and solve all the problems.  There is
more than just dirty water flowing down the
Mississippi.  We have the fourth most regressive tax
structure in the Nation in TN.  I would be all for an
income tax and a reduction or elimination of a sales
tax if the problems got fixed.  They won't.  TennCare
is broken and thank God we didn't get a socialized
medicine program like it Nationwide, not that its a
bad idea in theory, but it just isn't working.  If I
look at all this from a purely a self-interested
perspective, lets pass a state income tax and make it
a big one.  This sink hole I live in will suck off the
bulk of the revenue and maybe my property taxes will
go down to keep the county out of bankruptcy.  To all
of you who live elsewhere, remember;  what works on a
micro scale works on a macro scale as well.  I get
excited thinking about all that Connecticut money we
can get our hands on and how quickly we can make it
dissapear!

Brad Haslett
--- Wally Buck <tnrhodey@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Bill,
> 
> I did say we needed to throw the tax book out and
> start over. I realize a 
> flat tax alone is not the answer.
> 
> Wally
> 
> 
> >From: Bill Berner <bberner@optonline.net>
> >Reply-To: bberner@optonline.net,The Rhodes 22 mail
> list 
> ><rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> >To: 'The Rhodes 22 mail list'
> <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> >Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics
> >Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 21:32:40 -0500
> >
> >Wally -
> >
> >I respectfully disagree that a flat tax on wages
> would be fair.  Because
> >when you add in all of the other taxes and fees
> that must be paid for
> >everyone it would shift a disproportionate amount
> of total taxes to
> >those in the middle and lower income brackets,
> creating a seriously
> >regressive tax system.
> >
> >Bill Berner
> >191 South Broadway
> >Hastings on Hudson, NY  10706
> >
> >v 914 478 2896
> >f 914 478 3856
> >e BBerner@optonline.net
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org
> >[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces@rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of Wally Buck
> >Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 3:39 PM
> >To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
> >Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Taxes & Politics
> >
> >Stan,
> >
> >Usuall discliamer - hit delete now if not
> interested in taxes -
> >
> >I agree with some of what you said -
> >
> > >Just tried to
> > >point out that if you cut taxes for some, you
> raise them for others.
> >
> >This is not true!!!! You are missing one critical
> piece of the formula,
> >you
> >forgot to cut spending.
> >
> > >
> > >Re your wish for a flat tax, Bill B points out
> that in effect we
> >already
> > >have that.
> >
> >Well Bill tried to point that out, but he is wrong.
> We actually don't
> >have a
> >flat tax on wages. See IRS tax schedule if there
> are any doubts. If you
> >throw in all of the other various taxes it might
> approach a flat tax
> >overall
> >but that is not the same thing. I think a flat tax
> on wages is fair. I
> >also
> >said we need to throw out the IRS book and start
> over.
> >
> >More tax cutting will make the low end pay even a
> higher
> > >percentage of their earning towards their total
> tax burden compared to
> > >the wealthy end.
> >
> >If we had a flat tax how would this be true? If you
> are below certain
> >income
> >no taxes, above everyone pays the same %.
> >
> >Try Bill Gates
> > >father who has been outspoken against these cuts.
>  I know a lot of
> > >variables influence Wall Street but it does
> represent wealth and so far
> > >it is not applauding the tax cut.
> >
> >Well I am sure he is a great guy but why would I
> want to take his word
> >for
> >anything? Previously this discussion did not talk
> about the current tax
> >plan. As it is written I am not for current plan
> either. I still think
> >we
> >need to reduce taxes though.
> >
> >
> > >Corporations should Not pay any taxes.  They are
> not people and only
> > >pass on the cost of their taxes to the buyers via
> higher product prices
> > >which results in the buyer being double taxed. 
> This would also do away
> > >with the unfair double tax on dividends.
> >
> >I have an open mind here. I am curious, how much is
> generated each year
> >by
> >taxing corporate profits? How do we make up for
> this loss of revenue?Are
> >you
> >suggesting spending cuts or increasing the tax on
> the middle class or
> >rich?
> >
> >
> >There should be no Tolls.  In
> > >my management consulting days I had a glimpse
> behind the scenes of the
> > >NY Thruway.  Toll delays create air pollution for
> everyone and health
> > >hazards for collectors, waste drivers'
> productivity time, waste
> >gasoline
> > >and create costly duplicate tax collection
> administrations.
> >
> >I agree here.
> >
> >I am against collecting taxes via charities.  When
> Rose was
> > >nursing, one job was with the March of Dimes. 
> She said only 10% of
> > >collections got to do what the charity was
> intended for.
> >
> >I admit I am not a tax expert. What kind of taxes
> do charities have to
> >pay?
> >Hopefully all donations are recieved tax free. Do
> they pay real estate
> >taxes
> >or capital gains? I didn't think they had to. I
> don't have a problem
> >with
> >charities being tax free. I have my suspicions why
> charities only have
> >10%
> >of the donations trickle down to the needy. Of the
> 90% that the poor do
> >not
> >see how much of that is taken away in taxes VS
> payroll or entertainment
> >costs?
> >
> >   I am against
> > >sales taxes in any form and by any name.
> >
> >So we remove the sales tax, do you suggest we cut
> spending or add more
> >taxes
> >to the middle class or wealthy?
> >
> >
> > >But this one is a deal breaker when a buyer faces
> it at the end of
> > >negotiating for a big ticket item (like a
> sailboat).
> >
> >Well now I can see why you are against sales tax.
> >
> >There is only one
> > >way to fairly pay for the cost of running a
> country and that is a
> > >graduated income tax.
> >
> >Again who says so? Isn't this what we have now? The
> current system
> >stinks!
> >
> >
> >With one bureaucracy instead of dozens, it can be
> > >run more efficiently and better policed.
> >
> >I agree here, what can be easier than computing and
> collecting a flat
> 
=== message truncated ===


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