LETTERS

— FairTax a positive change

In perusing the editorial, “A test of character,” nodding my head and clucking my tongue in approval, I came to the part referencing the FairTax proposal.

There, while debunking [the claim] that Tim Griffin is a proponent of the FairTax proposal, your parenthesized aside indicated that you disapprove of the concept.

Then you indicate that you would support some sort of flat tax that would exempt the poorest taxpayers while retaining the principles of a graduated, progressive income tax, but “[w]e just haven’t seen it yet.” I suspect you maybe just don’t know that much about it.

FairTax is a proposed progressive national retail sales tax that would tax all new end-point goods and services purchased and would replace the current income tax system. The Internal Revenue System would be abolished. Sales taxes imposed on goods purchased by the poor would be rebated 100 percent and a rebate would be returned to every taxpayer up to the defined poverty level.

The FairTax will enable workers to keep their entire paycheck and retirees their entire pension; refund in advance the tax on purchase of basic necessities; allow American products to compete better in the market place; bring transparency to tax policy; ensure Social Security and Medicare funding; close loopholes; and bring fairness to taxation.

What’s not to like about it?

JAMES E. PAYNE Hot Springs VillageReplenish trust fund

It makes me very angry hearing those stupid TV ads for Blanche Lincoln, John Boozman, Rick Crawford and Chad Causey harping about Social Security and what they are going to do about it in office.

I haven’t heard either say anything about returning the trillions of dollars that the government used from the Social Security Trust Fund for other federal programs, and the government has the nerve to say that Social Security is going broke.

I and the other Social Security recipients worked hard and our Social Security was deducted from our paychecks. We are expecting a cost-of-living increase in our January 2011 checks.

The government should put our money back into the Social Security Trust Fund and keep its hands out of our funds. Then it won’t go broke.

The government can blow $700 billion on bankers, insurance companies, car manufacturers, and paying for old cars and appliances. Why not return our money to the fund?

I approved this message.

PAULETTE HARPER FordyceThink before voting

“Think before you vote” is certainly good advice. To that, I would add, “Do the math.”

Here in Central Arkansas, the state and local sales taxes run about 8 percent, depending on which of the cities you are in. If you add a 23 percent federal tax, you have 31 percent, which is almost a third of your dollar in taxes.

Your out-of-pocket cost for a $50 purchase would be $65.50. Think about how much it would cost in taxes for a $20,000 to $30,000 automobile. Although the state and local taxes would not be applicable to the cost of a new home, a 23 percent federal tax would greatly increase the cost. A lot of homeowners are already struggling to pay their mortgages.

This proposed tax is supposed to do away with the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS is a large agency that employs thousands of people. What happens to these jobs if we toss out the IRS? Is this idea really supposed to boost the economy?

Think about it.

JANETTE MILLER Sherwood Tax bills summarized

Recently, you printed letters on the FairTax from Betty Wiles of Mena and Jane Pindell of Fairfield Bay. These ladies neglected to get fully informed before putting pen to paper.

FairTax bills now proposed would do away with the income tax (and the Internal Revenue Service) and other federal taxes, including payroll taxes. All workers would receive full paychecks with nothing deducted in addition to receiving a “prebate” check each month refunding tax paid on life necessities. The $300 billion spent on income tax preparation each year would be eliminated.

Manufacturing would return as products would not be taxed until the retail level. U.S. products now come to market with imbedded taxes amounting to the FairTax, so the price would be about the same. U.S. exports would be more competitive, and industries would create many more jobs in the U.S.

Tourists, drug dealers and others in the underground economy would be paying taxes on purchases. U.S. citizens would decide how much tax they would pay depending on their purchasing decisions. Used items could be purchased without tax.

A very small, very inexpensive and easily read book titled “The Fair Tax Solution” written by Ken Hoagland is highly recommended for those seeking the truth.

HARRIET HALE Bella Vista Statistics just don’t lie

Many years ago, a friend of mine gave me a book titled, “Statistics Don’t Lie.” It basically explained how you can manipulate data to make your point.

There was a recent article where the FBI stated that violent crime rates, including murder, have declined. When you consider that the incarceration rate in our country is the highest it has ever been, that makes sense. If they are locked up, they are not out there committing crime.

As far as the murder rate goes: medical technology. When people are shot today, they generally are kept alive. If this were the 1960s or ’70s, the death rate would be substantially higher.

Politicians benefit from this manipulation of statistics as well as city, state and local governments. I would rather they just tell us the truth, but statistics don’t lie.

MARK BERNTHAL Bella Vista Just need a bird now

I make it a point to clean my birdcage on Thursdays, since Gene Lyons’ column fits so nicely in the bottom. I suppose I should buy a bird one of these days.

P.L. FRESE Hot SpringsFeedback Some changes due

Our Game and Fish Commission must believe the sky is the limit when it comes to salary for the directors and deputy directors. Plus, they want to add two more deputy directors at a salary of $115,000 each, raise the director’s salary to $150,000 and create a new position of information officer with a salary of $96,212.

They are now going nationwide searching for a new director. I suppose we don’t have anyone in Arkansas smart enough to direct our Game and Fish Commission, so we look elsewhere.

From what I understand, the governor issued salary freezes for state employees for 2010 and 2011, but this doesn’t effect Game and Fish as it is a separate entity and our governor has no control over it. They can spend our tax dollars freely as long as a few state legislators approve.

There’s no transparency for the public to see how much Game and Fish brings in each month from gas leases on Game and Fish land or how much tax taken in each month. Folks, this is our money in the millions being spent freely while our people suffer from this economy. There need to be some changes made now.

HERB MARSHALL Hindsville

Editorial, Pages 89 on 10/24/2010

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