Subject: Simplification First Comment: I have missed the deadline for Comments #3, so perhaps this will go into the email trash bin. None the less I am compelled to tell you my opinion on tax reform. I am a teacher married to a pilot. Due to tax laws predominantly, we spend probably an hour per week per year, plus about 5 hours per week for a month working on taxes or record keeping. That works out to about 80 hours per year. While that may seem like not much you could equate it to a two week drain on the productivity of two workers. The tax code is just too complex, and the need to keep records for a potential audit too daunting at this time. I doubt you will consider a VAT as in Europe, because it may depress spending. But I would none the less propose a very simplified tax structure that eliminates the entire tax code and just has a VAT. By the time you're done there's no way it will look like that (with special interests and such), but only starting from a blank slate will create the kind of reform we need. The current system, and working at the margins, is not going to solve the tax code issues. Sincerely, Don |