Advertisement

Wednesday's letters: Don't forget income tax breaks

 
Published Jan. 21, 2015

The fairest taxes? Not here | Jan. 18, Perspective

Don't forget income tax breaks

This article on taxes by Patricia Cohen of the New York Times is like comparing apples to oranges. It goes without argument that there is a disparity when you use percentages.

For example: I live in a certain neighborhood, am single and my income is $100,000. I pay $3,000 in property tax. My tax rate is 3 percent. My neighbor, whose house is the same as mine, brings in $50,000 per year. His property tax is also $3,000. That gives him a 6 percent tax rate. Is that fair? In my opinion, yes.

The article did not include information on federal income tax. As I said, I am single; my neighbor is married with three children. Once again, he is paying more state and local tax as he will be buying school supplies and material to support his family. I, on the other hand, do not have these expenses, so I get to keep more of my income. Come federal tax time, my neighbor has deductions that can bring his tax liabilities to zero. I file my taxes and have no deductions, therefore I am taxed at 39 percent.

I do not think the research done by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy went far enough.

David P. Ferrier, Brooksville

Obama's freebies aren't free | Jan. 14

Help people help themselves

I get that "freebies" aren't always free, but here's a thought: Let's give community college education to people. Then, just maybe, the food stamp, welfare and rent subsidies will eventually decrease. Let's invest in the program and these people for the betterment of all.

Not everyone is out to get something for nothing. Maybe if we educated some of these people, they could become productive, taxpaying citizens. Rather than do nothing and leave us running in place, isn't it better to give these people some hope and educate them to be employable? Maybe then we will eventually have a lot more educated, employable people as opposed to rent subsidy, food stamp, welfare check citizens. Just a thought.

Sonja M. Alexander, Tampa

An FDLE tale of lines crossed | Jan. 18

Keep digging on story

I was disgusted but, sadly, not surprised by ousted Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey's accusations that Gov. Rick Scott and his advisers repeatedly made efforts to falsely accuse someone in a criminal investigation. The Times should keep digging on this story and, if these accusations are found to have merit, an outside investigation is in order.

Deborah Green, Sun City Center

His unwavering fight to save a life | Jan. 18

Jumping the gun

I cannot believe that candidates who have not even declared they are running for president, let alone been picked as the party choice at the national convention, are already being hounded and vilified by the press. Today's long article about Jeb Bush and the Terri Schiavo issue is certainly aimed at the upcoming presidential election. Frankly, I am disgusted with the news media, whether it is TV or newspapers. Have a little class and wait to rip people apart until they are actually presidential candidates.

Judith McGowan, Tarpon Springs

Agency acting on climate | Jan. 18

Time is running out

I'm sorry to hear Gov. Rick Scott still doesn't publicly accept the clear and compelling connection between carbon emissions and global warming. Although it's important for state and local agencies to protect residents from rising seas, extreme weather events and the potential health effects of climate change, it's even more important for Florida's congressional delegation to protect constituents by sponsoring well-designed climate change legislation. If global emissions aren't curtailed soon, feedback loops will kick in and warming will spin out of control. Then there will be nothing state agencies can hope to do.

Judy Weiss, Brookline, Mass.

Obama stirs the debate | Jan. 19

Taxes don't bring prosperity

President Barack Obama, believing that recovery has finally arrived, is poised to propose a new tax on the wealthy to supposedly benefit the middle class, which tells me that after all this time, he still bitterly clings to the leftist trope that taxing one's way to prosperity is possible.

I wonder about the breadth and depth of any recovery that has failed to reverse the situation where we continue to lose businesses to failure at a rate greater than new ones are created. Of course, President "you didn't build that" Obama and his likely successor, Hillary "businesses don't create jobs" Clinton probably think that this stat is meaningless.

The truth is that the greatest thing for the middle class has been the obscene profit motive. When rich people are afraid of the tax man, capital needed to create future jobs is in flight or sheltered and not placed at risk in investment.

Dwayne Keith, Valrico

High court gets gay issue | Jan. 17

Celebrating equality

As an ordained minister who performed his first same-sex wedding ceremony this past Sunday in Dunedin, I just have to say that my own marriage to my wife of 14 years still feels completely secure.

All we hear from those opposed to marriage equality is how it will undermine and destroy marriage as an institution. That is definitely not the case. The only thing that has been destroyed are those ridiculous talking points, as more and more states take up the issue and more and more people wake up to the realities of inclusive love.

Rev. Michael MacMillan, Palm Harbor

Romney hints at third run for president Jan. 10

Back to the future

Mitt Romney is this generation's Harold Stassen (Google it).

Ernest Lane, Trinity