Thank you governor

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As for the sales tax only, I am not sure punishing those who are willing to spend money to buy goods is the answer. It’s a quick way to make the economy stagnant.

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I disagree. A national sales tax to replace the income tax would actually tax all of the existing illegal economies. For instance, the prostitutes and drug dealers and thieves who never file or pay any taxes would in effect be forced to. Even legal activities that create income (Like walleye tourneys) would begin to be taxed when that money is spent.

I would rather “Punish” people for spending money than those who earn money!

-J.

That’s a great way of thinking about it. I never thought about it that way.

I think those who are sitting on their [censored]’es and collecting a life time of goverment sponsored benifits need to be addressed. How many lowlifes raise chidren on the goverment payroll,and then the chidren of those familys follow in the same foot steps, it never ends for them, and then they think it is thier right to collect, a check, food stamps, health care. That is huge amount money right there. And will the Democrats or Republicans say anything about it, hell no.
It’s time to quit taking money from those people who earn it.
It’ s time to roll back the benfits of those who choose to live off the welfare system. It’s there to benifit those who need help, and was never meant to be a perpetual way of life.
Of all the things that are wrong with the goverment no one wants to deal with it. Instead they start a class war and try to take as much as they can from from those who work as a way of life.

LEAVE THE WORKING MAN ALONE FOR GODS SAKE

He or she deserve everthing they have worked for.

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I disagree. A national sales tax to replace the income tax would actually tax all of the existing illegal economies. For instance, the prostitutes and drug dealers and thieves who never file or pay any taxes would in effect be forced to. Even legal activities that create income (Like walleye tourneys) would begin to be taxed when that money is spent.

I would rather “Punish” people for spending money than those who earn money!

-J.

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Now that I cannot agree with. Although theoretically I can agree that taxes in a perfect world should be levied on the person paying for a service/goods as opposed to the person providing the service/goods. You don’t want to punish production. But it would stagnate the economy and I wouldn’t want a tax to make purchases cost prohibitive or even delay purchases. A good economy is a steady exchange of goods and service.

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Apples and oranges. Of the top 50%, few make $100k.

I’m bad with math, but here’s my analysis. Basic needs (defined however each person wants), cost a certain amount of money. $100k allows more “disposable income” (again, define however you want) than <$100k.

Joel

Those were used for easy math. $100k income puts you around the top 11% of earners. So yes, there is not a large share, that was just for easy math. The percent difference remains the same.

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The percent difference remains but is red-herring.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/118136484.html?source=error

Income tax is only a portion of the total tax paid by individuals. The last governor will always be famous for passing the tax burden elsewhere, then claiming he never raised taxes.

Joel

Think of how much more you would spend, if you actually got to keep more of your paycheck ??? The harder you work, the more you make.. th emore you make, the more you have to decide what you want to do with it, save it or spend it.. or make it grow… you only pay tax when you spend it I hardly believe the economy will shutdown, because the tax system is suddenly fair with no loopholes

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I just caught your 95% of tax comment. Disregarding the inaccurate math, the thing is, the people paying “95%” of the taxes are also making “95%” of the money which, as I explained, is not what is actually happening.

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I just caught your “Disregarding the innacurate math” comment… I would like to know, in you world… what percentage do you come up with, if someone pays $100,000 in taxes, of $105,000 total taxes ???

Can’t wait for this one….

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Think of how much more you would spend, if you actually got to keep more of your paycheck ??? The harder you work, the more you make.. th emore you make, the more you have to decide what you want to do with it, save it or spend it.. or make it grow… you only pay tax when you spend it I hardly believe the economy will shutdown, because the tax system is suddenly fair with no loopholes

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Thinking outloud…

Seems to me you’d really see a big gap in the wealthy haves and the have nots and it would be hard to improve your standard of living. In this system, if you have a lot of money you can just invest it and take out money as needed, offsetting any tax you would incur when you spent it? If you were middle class, just like now, you probably don’t have enough money to invest or enough to invest and offset your sales tax.

Actually, I consider myself middle class. I have a healthy 401K now and if I can keep even more of my money, I could see it getting even bigger. Moreover, what this tax strategy does, is exactly what JJ points out… jobs that are being performed illegally now, all very lucrative, will all of a sudden not be escaping anything, but rather will help. IE (drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes) also, when we all hear about how this actor or athlete hasn’t been reporting income or paying taxes… who cares anymore ?? The only issue I see is, how we would handle things like sovereign nations then again, maybe it isn’t an issue, pay to play

Screw it, I’m going fishing!

95.2% Sorry, science background led me to be a little too critical. In overall argument, I guess I shouldn’t have gotten to caught up in the 0.2%.

As for the recognition of the other taxes. I absolutely agree that we need to look at the rest of the taxes and I should remind you that it wasn’t the last governor’s idea to raise all the other taxes. You can thank the rest of the people who actually write the bills.

I actually get really frustrated with all of the “hidden” “taxes” that get passed on. Take for example all of the added fees on everyone’s utilities bills for offsetting their losses with alternative energy. Or the fact that we keep raising gas taxes to pay for mass transit. Don’t get me wrong, those are more frustrating than a simple income/property tax modification. In the end, I still contend the answer is not raising taxes anywhere, including hidden taxes, the answer is in controlling the spending. And to that, there is one side that is shooting for cutting spending and one for increasing spending which is where my frustration lies.