Tax reform must balance growth, social welfare: Your Say
Letter to the editor:
It is irresponsible to insinuate Corporate America has a bunch of tax loopholes that create an unfair burden (“Corporate tax loopholes at fault for unfair burden: #tellusatoday”).
U.S. corporations pay some of the world’s highest tax rates, and Congress could benefit the U.S. by reducing corporate tax rates so we can be more competitive globally. Indirect taxes, not the current corporate tax system, are creating the problems. These include state income taxes, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and the Affordable Care Act’s indirect taxes.
Our government needs to balance its budget, operate affordable public programs and eliminate the long list of taxes that burden businesses and retard economic growth.
Rick Cox; Las Vegas
Letter to the editor:
We need to stop letting politics and special interest fights over reasonable taxation get in the way of solving our problems as a country.
If we want to reduce income inequality, we should make tax rates more progressive, raise the minimum wage and improve education. In order to reform Social Security, we should raise the retirement age and increase the Social Security tax rate or tax passive income.
Scott Schleifer; Jacksonville
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called in Paste BN for abolishing the IRS and replacing the tax code with the FairTax, a flat national consumption tax. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:
“Abolish the IRS” is a fancy slogan, but even if we were to go to a flat tax, or a value-added tax, somebody would have to collect it and make sure all income was properly accounted for. Congress makes the tax laws. Reform Congress first.
— William Gilliam
Adding to the price of food and clothing through a sales tax would have a disproportionate effect on the poor and the lower-middle class. The wealthy, who tend to invest their wealth, would barely even notice it.
There is no totally fair system, but I would rather be unfair to the rich, who can take care of themselves. A progressive income tax starting at $20,000 a year with no deductions would be a reasonable solution.
— Henry Crum
It’s not exactly true that a consumption tax would be unfair to the poor. Joe Millionaire buys a Lexus; he pays $18,000 in sales tax. Blue-collar Betty buys an old Toyota; she pays $1,300 in sales tax. Sounds fair to me.
— Mark Smith
When I completed my taxes this year, I had no idea if I missed something, misstated something or made a mistake. The forms were so complicated that I was uneasy signing my return even though the program I used did a mini audit. My taxes weren’t complicated, and I wasn’t trying to hide anything, but I was still unsure. Reason enough for reform.
— Maxx Scott
Under the FairTax, tax lawyers and complicated filing documents would not be needed, saving the country billions in compliance costs. Most important, every time you bought something, the cost and waste of government would be in cold hard figures right before your eyes.
Paying a lobbyist to bribe a congressman for a tax favor would become obsolete. The FairTax would do a lot to reform Washington, as well as kick the economy into high gear.
— Gaines Bruce