Subject: Tax Code Reform and Fairness Comment: I would like to add my voice to the growing outcry for reform and fairness in our tax code. The existing code with its myraid of loopholes is a giveaway to special interests at the expense of the ordinary citizen and allows certain people to effectively escape taxation. It encouages tax avoidance and undermines confidence in the fairness of the system.We are all aware of the tax avoidance of many self employed individuals who control the cash they receive and avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Repeatedly and it is becoming more commonplace whereby self employed people are suggesting that if payment is made in cash or checks made payable to cash then they are prepared to offer discounts from the contracted price. So called business expenses i.e gasoline, computers,etc. are incurred by family members and are written off as business expenses. What you folks ought to consider is introducing a consumption tax, sales tax or other broad based tax system to ensure that everyone pays and that no one can manipulate their cash receipts to avoid taxation. These tax systems can supplement the existng tax code to ensure that everyone do pay some taxes. The people below certain income levels should be allowed to file for a tax refund so that they are not penalized by these tax systems. Additionally, we need to repeal the AMT which is a good example of the deception in our tax code and create a truly simpler tax code, flat tax, which repeals the deductions that favor certain segments of society at the expense of others.We talk about the impending disaster confronting social security, well if we truly want to correct the problem let's make the distributions from retirements funds partially tax free and you'll see what an overwhelming popular inducement that will be to save for our retirement and take the pressure off of social security future increases. The cost of such a program would in the long run result in savings to the government. Lastly, its long overdue to address the unfairness and complexities in the current tax code before confidence in the system is lost. The tax code needs to be overhauled and simplified now and it must be designed to ensure that all citizens pay their fair share of taxes. Thank you. |