[longtermmemmory]

In FL there is no sales tax on services. Contractors are a service. Contractors also give discounts for cash transactions. (been there done that, bought the t-shirt) Spending $300,000 on workers in the area where Rush lives is easy. Many people just buy lots and build homes. The landscapers and workers are independent contractors and as labor, not subject to sales tax for their service.

The story has far more than a kernel of truth. In fact, I have family with a home in the Jupiter area which have a home in a perpetual state of building and landscaping. They keep "handy" amounts of cash on hand to take care of business.

Additionally, with furniture stores usually having a 400% markup, you would be very surprised how much of a discount cash buys. (some furniture stores expect clients to payand average of $5-10K+ per room.)

(just a footnote: the drugs Rush admitted to were not illegal. Pot, crack, and cocaine are illegal. Oxycotin is a legal drug. Obtaining without a perscription is illegal. Being an adict is not illegal. Not nitpicking but given the propensity of the leftist media to confuse the issue, I would rather have FR be more accurate.)

[Torie]

You do know that Contractors take cash so that they can avoid reporting it as income, and thereby commit tax fraud without a paper trial don't you, and thus are willing to work cheaper as a result? Where have you been?