Posted on 02/20/2005 9:19:49 PM PST by FairOpinion
California has announced plans to launch a major new experiment in the way its residents pay taxes. Ten thousand randomly selected taxpayers will be asked to sign up for a pilot program to let the government fill out their tax returns.
"Most people don't find filling out their tax forms to be a lot of fun. We're going to do it for them," State Controller Steve Westly told KCBS's Larry Chiaroni. "California is the technology leader for the world. We ought to be using more of that technology to make people's lives just a little bit simpler." Westly is a former executive with on-line retailer eBay.
Taxpayers who receive the pre-prepared returns as part of the so-called Ready Return program can choose to ignore them and do their own taxes, or simply sign on the appropriate line and mail the state-prepared return back to Sacramento.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.cbs5.com ...
And since the state won't know a priory people's deductions, they'll just make it up and guess in whose favor will it be?
This is just another scam to squeeze more money out of people.
I wonder whose bright idea this was?!
Are you ready for this?
I don't know if this qualifies for your PING, but I think states are getting more obnoxious in collecting taxes.
We really need to abolish the Federal and State income taxes and replace them with Fairtax.
"In a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Norquist wrote: "Filling out quarterly or yearly tax returns is often the only time taxpayers really see how much they owe. By eliminating this step in the process, income taxes become almost invisible, and there will be less opposition to tax increases."
Yes, let's lead the nation in collecting tax revenue and do nothing about the horiffic budget mess, Freddy Krugeresque traffic conditions and abysmal schools (not to mention a collapsing health-care system, etc.). I can hardly wait till I clear out of this mess!
I think everyone needs to read the excerpt I just put into my post 4.
DOn't worry honey...the state will take good care of you!
It's all about collecting taxes in a way, that people don't realize how much they are paying. Payroll deductions was a major step in the right direction and now they even admit that the real reason for this is to keep people from realizing how much they are paying in taxes, so there will be less opposition to raising taxes.
"In a letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Norquist wrote: "Filling out quarterly or yearly tax returns is often the only time taxpayers really see how much they owe. By eliminating this step in the process, income taxes become almost invisible, and there will be less opposition to tax increases."
I still agree with something I heard Rush say more than 10 years ago.... we should abolish withholding so everyone has to write a check on April 15th and sees their true tax burden.
Ready for it?
No, I will continue to support my local tax accountant. :)
Well isn't this convenient?!
Wow, this is really nice of the State of Kwalifornia to do this for "the people".
I'm sure it will be pretty correct and pretty accurate and really help everybody out.
"About half the members of the state Assembly, citing concerns about privacy, confusion and the potential for abuse, have signed a letter to the Franchise Tax Board protesting the program. The letter calls Ready Return "a dangerous precedent, leading us down a very slippery slope."
I agree.
There are so many things wrong with this that I don't know where to begin. This is like giving the wolf the keys to the henhouse. Only in lib land..
Hey, we've got welfare, 50000 channels, fast food on every corner, etc, etc... blame Bush and embrace Complete Laziness like us Californians!
California on the move to alleviate the woes of government spending and ongoing debt.....
CA is obviously trying to go in the opposite direction, to just do your tax return, and wait until they will just take the money you owe, or they think you owe, right out of your bank account.
And while we're at it let's move Election Day from November to two weeks AFTER April 15. Feel the pain, then go vote. We'd see a lot more turnover of the politicos and things would happen a lot faster.
Agreed.
There are no shortage of slippery slopes for Californians to contend with these days, it would seem.
So what is Tom McClintock doing these day's?
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