(Don't) Tax and (Don't) Spend

(Don't) Tax and (Don't) Spend
by Jim Parshall

Taxes.

Try as one might they are impossible to avoid. We, the citizens of the United States, are taxed now more than ever in history. While there have been times when the Federal Income Tax rates have been higher, when one takes the total tax burden of combined Federal, State and Local government, it can add up to nearly 54% of a persons income per year. Yet, taxes and their kissing cousin, fees, still go up year after year with barely a quibble from the mass of humanity being sucked dry by them.

What confounds me is that Americans in general don’t really fight these parasitic creatures. Like the proverbial monkey on the back they dwindle a person’s income while said person pays little more than lip service to hating them. Considering that an average worker could afford quite a nice new car each year (paid for in cash mind you) with the amount they pay in taxes it is hard to understand this disinterest. Perhaps I have a different perspective on this situation since I, as a self-employed business owner, actually write out a check each quarter for approximately one third of my income to the IRS. Sending out that money from my bank coffers is a matter of great consternation.

Now, I am not saying that taxes are unneeded. They are necessary in order to fund the government and the services it provides. The problem I have, and you dear reader should have, is the amount of services provided by the government at YOUR expense. When one adds state taxes, fees, and the taxes passed onto us by business in the form of higher prices, to the already high Federal Income Tax, the total outlay should drive the populous into frenzy. At what point will we decide these taxes are too much? Or would we rather the government just take all our money and give us everything we need?

I want to give some form of action that a person can take in each column, like this one anyway, I write. In other words an answer to the question, “What can I do?”

First, I would recommend being highly suspicious of any plan to increase or add new taxes or fees. Ask questions of the people proposing this action. Read and educate yourself about the issue and both sides of the story. Only after this decide to support or oppose the increase or addition. But always tart with a no as the default answer.

Second, look for ways to cut spending in the budgets of all governmental agencies. Write your politicians and let them know you are watching them and their spending. Let these people know you are alive. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, so be as squeaky as possible. Stand up for your money.

Third, quit thinking of that IRS refund each year, if you get one, as a refund. Folks, it’s your money. It is not a refund. It is the repayment of an interest free loan you gave to the government.

Lastly, keep track of your budget and record what you are actually paying out each month in all the various forms of taxation. Then at the end of the year add it all up and go look for something that costs around the same price. You might be surprised to find all the things that you could have bought for that amount of money and this will help you to “put a face” on that outlay.

To close, I would like to offer the following proof that not all people are idiots:

Here in Washington State we have an initiative on the ballot, which will drop our license tab fees to $30.00 per vehicle from their current level (based on a percentage of the list price of the car). This will amount to a rop of perhaps 1.5 to 2 percent of the state budget—at least that is what the state says. Yet, to hear big business and government talk one would think that the budget is being halved. Politicians are loath to back the initiative, instead dancing about the issue like Jack and Rose in the dance scene from Titanic. Cities are crying foul screaming that 20 to (no kidding) 75 percent of their operating budget comes from these fees and they will have to cut services like fire and police if this passes. My answer to that is this: “Why are my license tab fees going to fund some city’s budget that I don’t even live in?” I have not heard a good answer to that one yet.

I hope this is just the first step in a taxpayer revolt at the ballot box. Perhaps people have actually realized that money, received by one’s own work and toil, is their money and not the governments.

Part two of this initiative is a clause that forces government to come to the people for approval before fees or taxes are increased or added. WhooHoo! Of course, this is something that politicians hate with a passion. Why? Because they do not want the ability to fund their wonderful programs and passions curtailed by dullards they represent. For goodness sake we can’t have the public voting on these things. They might never approve them. Good.

It looks as though this will pass easily. It has already set a record with over half a million signatures gathered—the highest number ever gathered in the state of Washington for an initiative. Perhaps this will be the first in a long line of revolutions at the ballot box. At least in those states that have an initiative process, we can begin to take our money out of the politicians pockets and back into ours. I can only hope.