McClatchy-Tribune News | Today is Tax Freedom Day for the average U.S. taxpayer, meaning it took
99 days to pay our taxes in 2010, to render unto “Uncle Sam” what is
his.
On average, Americans will pay 26.9 percent of their
yearly income toward taxes, according to
calculations of the Tax Foundation, a group that has monitored such
data since 1948.
Believe it or not, this year’s number is lower than in recent years. In
2000, it took Americans 121 days of work to pay off their share of
federal, state and local taxes. Last year, it took us 98 days, with the
government taking about 26.6 percent of our yearly income. Prior to
that, Americans hadn’t paid so little in taxes since 1965.
Why is this happening in the midst of a recession? The methodology
behind Tax Freedom Day, developed in 1948 and used to calculate
taxation percentages dating back to 1900, does not count rising federal
government expenditures. The federal government spends more than it
collects in taxes, according to Tax Foundation findings, posted on
www.taxfoundation.org.
Most states, including Georgia, are, unlike the federal government, required to pass a balanced budget each year.
If Americans were required to pay for all of government spending this
year, including deficit spending, we’d have to work until May 17.
Every state has its own Tax Freedom Day because taxes vary state by
state, according to the Tax Foundation. Higher-income states pay more
to Uncle Sam. Alaska, Lousiana, Mississippi, South Dakota and West
Virgina were the earliest states this year to have Tax Freedom Days.
Georgia falls in the middle of the pack.
This year is the final year of tax cuts Congress passed under President
George W. Bush. Similar tax cuts are in place under President Barack
Obama’s administration.
Will all of the latest things that obonehead and pelosi are doing to us (not for us), look for the fredom date to change to Novemer 6 in 2011.
I like paying taxes like I enjoy paying my mortgage or electrical bill or other bills for services or anything else. But there is no free lunch and things must be paid for…taxes pay for things like water,sewer, police and fire, public health. You may ***** and moan about the specifics, but that is what elections are for. Anybody who says they are going to cut your taxes is really saying “we’ll give a break right now so you’ll like me, but you’re gonna have to pay up later.” Case in point, the Bush tax cuts several years were nice, but put us into record deficit from which are have not recovered…gotta pay for what you provide.
So…quit the moaning and pay your taxes. We have representation and we are getting services in payment for our taxes…no constitutional issues, no loss of freedom etc. The Tea Partiers are clueless
…yeah, and now you can start worrying about those Cook Co. property taxes!
People aren’t argueing about the basic government services, these are a recognized need. It is the government spending and new entitlements reaching record highs and being paid for by future generations working Americans. There is no discipline and an increasingly limited system of checks and balances. Elected officials need to be held accountable for financial misjudgements just as private sector leaders are.
“Similar tax cuts are in place under President Barack Obama’s administration”
Not true. Every American will see a rise in health care costs especially if they choose not to have health care (a tax), those who smoke will be taxed more, those who buy gasoline will be taxed more, the federal income taxes are returning to the Clinton years (a TAX INCREASE), capital gain taxes are forecasted to rise for ALL Americans under Obama’s plan too. so if you own stock, that’s a TAX INCREASE.
Keep sipping the Kool-AID Tribine/McClatchey
you are clueless given money to the Gov for whatever purpose is not the goal of anyone ecept those who wnt take of small problem, go to Sweden and pay thier taxes of 40-50%%%%%%%%