SURVEY SAYS – Are Your Taxes Fair?

Taxes – more specifically the amount of taxes, who pays how much, and what they are spent on – are always a sensitive subject.  

This week, I asked readers how they felt about how much they paid in taxes – and, while you probably won’t be surprised to find out that most felt they were either too high – or WAY too high – you might be surprised at how many were willing to say their taxes were fair.  

Make no mistake – a clear majority – 61% said they felt that their taxes were too high, split between 28.9% who simply said “they’re too much”, and a plurality of 32.4% who said “they’re WAY too much.”  

Having said that, there were 28.7% who said their taxes were fair – not to mention 5.6% who said they didn’t pay enough, and just under 2% actually said they didn’t pay nearly enough.  

The rest of this week’s respondents simply said they didn’t have an opinion on the subject.

With taxes - and tax protests - on the news, I also asked readers what they thought of those "tea parties" that took place across the nation yesterday.

First off, a full 22.9% said they had no idea what I was talking about - well, I can't do justice to it here - but I'm sure a quick Internet search will fill in the gaps.

Beyond that, 23.9% said they thought those attending/sponsoring the tea parties were "nuts", but 32.6% said they thought the protestors were "on to something, and 3% actually planned to attend one.

Now, those of you adding the percentages will note that that leaves about a third untabulated - a big number - and all of it in the "other" category.   So, what's with that?

My sense of them is that most were aware of the tea parties, but didn't really have a strong opinion about the validity - or lunacy - of the concept.   Many supported the right of the tea partiers to express their concerns ( "I disagree with their position, but they certainly have a right to express it," noted one) but simply doubted that the politicians would do anything about it.   One reader even said, "While I think they're nuts, I agree with the message they're sending or trying to send."  

I'll let you figure out how best to categorize those responses in the final tally.

Here's some of my favorite verbatims:

"I'm not as alarmed by the amount of taxes I pay as to how they are spent!"

"My taxes would be "fair" if I thought I was getting a fair bang for my tax buck! I'm not and it's getting worse, federally, at the state level, and locally. If my taxes were buying stock, I'd be selling...short!"

"Regarding taxes - I of course wish I wasn't paying as much as I am, but I certainly enjoy the rights and privileges living in the US provides me. I wouldn't want to be paying taxes anywhere else."

"It's not the income taxes that are too much - it's all the other taxes! Sales tax, property tax (real and personal), on and on."

"Although I do everything I can (legally) do to minimize my tax bill, I don't mind the fact that I have to pay taxes or the amount I pay. I get a cable bill, a water bill, a gas bill, and taxes are my "way of life" bill - the US model is still the most attractive in history (has any other country had waves upon waves upon waves of immigrants from all corners of the earth over a 200+ year period?) but the US "way" doesn't come for free - I buy my freedom and economic opportunity and clean air and water with my taxes, and it seems like a good deal to me. I get the Grand Canyon, Boston Harbor, Amtrak, cheap airfare, any type of food/groceries I want to buy, multiple religions, free and fair elections, cable TV, uncensored net access...you get the idea. And it seems like the people currently in charge are smart with lots of ideas and plans and a vision - but that isn't free, either. So I'm okay with paying taxes."

"In federal income taxes alone, I pay more than many families make. Yes, I make a nice living, and I am very thankful for that...but plenty of people make their own nice living off me...gardeners, housekeepers, computer specialists, maintenance guys, etc. If I have to pay more in taxes, those discretionary services will be among the first that I eliminate. This will hurt the people who are already hurting. This comment doesn't even get in to the fact that my phone bill is nearly double thanks to taxation; my heating bill is triple thanks to taxation and usage fees, etc. Just wait, they will start adding an extra tax to tea bags, in a desperate attempt to shut up the disconsolate."

"This country was founded on a fight against confiscatory taxes to fund the British army. We are now funding a government that believes it it "too big to fail." But at the rate they are going, they will topple our currency for the preferred spot of stability, and crush future generations under the weight of the debt they are accumulating."

"Thank goodness we live in a country where you won't be arrested for taking part in one of the tea parties! They are a creative idea - too bad DC will ignore them!"

"They don't understand their own history: the Boston Tea Party was protesting taxation without representation. These people have representation; they just don't like taxes."

"I just hope they don't all get labeled as "right wing extremists" now!"

"While I support their wish to protest, I don't agree and would not attend. I typically feel that those in government who make decisions on how to spend tax money have way more knowledge/education/experience on the subject than I do. I do not pretend to know how much money goes in and where it all goes, or that some plan I could come up with would be any better (no armchair quarterbacking for me). My only wish is that the budget would some day be balanced and that debt would be paid off - much like managing a household budget. Wishful thinking..."

"I don't mind paying more in taxes to assist those that aren't as fortunate as me. However, I am not happy that I will be shouldering the tax burden for large corporations whose executive managements are getting HUGE salaries."

But this week's Editor's Choice goes to the reader who noted, "While no one, including me, likes to pay taxes, they are the price of living in a free society - and I can't think of another place I'd rather live."

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey!