| jv103 said: What is your effective tax rate after deductions and everything? I like the idea of not being taxed for things you don't use. For example: I haven't had certain treatments for cancer, so any money that ends up going for research shouldn't be my tax dollars. I don't have kids, why pay taxes for local schools? I don't really care about being invaded so I don't want money going to arms services. I have a gun so I don't want police. I walk everywhere, so I don't need to pay for roads. < I like the idea of every individual selecting what they don't want to pay for because they personally won't need it. That's the kind of society I could get behind. I've paid taxes. I owed California 600 bucks a couple years ago, I guess they didn't take out enough (I paid taxes, am I now more qualified to debate something or have an opinion? Oh boy!)
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My effective tax rate after deductions is around 21% this year. I had very few deductions that led to any sort of decrease in my effective tax rate.
I was not complaining about what I don't use that I am paying for. Merely pointing out the irony in the system. My problem is that an answer that has everybody paying greater amounts based on income, or on equal footing regardless of their lifestyle is a bad idea.
A great example of governent-gone-right is the idea of requiring car insurance to drive (as they do in the state of Ohio). The government mandates it, but does not provide the service. Because of this, there is open competition for rates, and companies vie for signing me onto their programs. Not only this, every service is dependant on your driving record, and habits so bad drivers have to pay more.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
