Just a little fun on tax day, or as I like to call it, involuntary wage seperation day.
We have all heard of the often proposed Line Item Veto for Presidents. What if instead, a Voluntary Tax Funnel Line was placed on the 1040 Form. Any taxpayer wanting to pay taxes above and beyond what is owed could direct the additional money they pay to their favorite government project, i.e. Amtrak.
Would there be any takers (or givers in this case)?
Alright, guys - here’s your chance to say whether you’d put your money where your mouth’s (or word processors) are . . .
Old Timer
A “fine” is a tax for doing something poorly
A “tax” is a fine for doing something well.
With David Gunn or someone equally qualified at the throtrle, count me in. Otherwise, count me out until Amtrak’s board is fully populated by full-term, not recess, appointees and it has exhibited committment to reform, not terminate, Amtrak.
HA ha ha ha ha.
I F I actually thought it would get to Amtrak I might consider it.
However, I am sure this administration would say that I actually wanted it to go to Iraq and it would end up there or Halliburton one.
Let me try this another way.
Who would be willing to have their federal income tax increased by the same percentage as the percentage of the federal budget that would be given to Amtrak if the full requested grant was provided?
How much would your increase be? Pull out your tax return-Federal Form 1040- and look at Line 63-“Your total tax”. Multiply your total tax by .0006.
So your line 63 is $20,000? The Amtrak surcharge for you would be $12.
By the way, a single person with no dependents making a $100,000 a year income all from wages would pay about $20,000 in federal income taxes. I am sure an extra twelve bucks would be a real heavy hit on the life style.
Well that 12 dollars went into the gas increases for this week’s work period. One car took 42 dollars where it usually takes 34 and the other car took 36 where it usually takes 28 so actually I am negative a few dollars compared to last month’s gas rates.
No worries, a little over time here and there will compenstate.
Ask me again in two weeks for the 12 dollars after one of my debts was retired and no longer loads my budget.
Not me.
Mac
So where does a “fee” fall in? A charge on mediocrity perhaps? lol
How about taking that $12 per person and taking it from some bogus expenditure in the current federal budget.
Not me just like our space program Amtrak is dinosaur & the saved money by cancelling those programs could be used to assist others that may need assistance then wasting on bygone programs like space & Amtrak.[:)]
“Beeer… flowing through the estate!!” [8D]
How 'bout sending the $12 directly to Amtrak, or buying an Amtrak ticket, or buying an Amtrak ticket for someone who needs to travel?
The question has an underlying assumption that the taxes currently collected are allocated in a reasonable manner in the federal budget specifically toward transportation funding. I think not. I would not pay it. Same old story-too much waste- too many lobbying grafters-you know the roll call-Ill spare all the retread of issues
It’s a nice idea, but I would not trust the Federal Government with your tax money…especially the liberal, leftist, communist democrats who are in congress now.
CANADIANPACIFIC2816
Amazing…no insult to the poster but this thread is unrealistic.
Amtrak’s subsidy? We’re complaining about a paltry drop in the bucket!
What Amtrak uses in a year…my town’s municipal government blows away in controversial art exhibits, repairing brand new government buildings with low quality construction work, and purchasing a fleet of huge gas-sucking SUV’s so that one, possibly 2 city officials can “get around” to important meetings.
Last I checked this sounds like a lot of town’s in the U.S.
The “potential” tax revenue lost from the Enron scandal was greater than the amount of funding Amtrak received in a 20 year period.
SPBed, no disrespect to you…but I’ve used Amtrak, it was more comfortable than any airplane or bus I’ve been in, and the train(s) were packed.
If we’re complaining about Amtrak’s subsidy, then why isn’t anyone complaining about the millions our government funding the complete upgrading of Iraq’s railroad? It’s no secret.
Let’s see…kill Amtrak and some of you will celebrate. Then that money could be diverted to a really worthwhile project…like Alaska’s great highway to nowhere.
Very good.
AntonioFP45 and Jeaton,
If the taxpayer directed money could truly be funneled to the appropriate government program, then no one could complain. Those wanting Amtrak could back it with their contribution to the Federal government (along with their recurring ticket purchases). Those not wanting to spend their hard earned money (be it $5 or $500) on Amtrak could just send in the mandated amount on the tax tables.
Deficit spending comes not from one large purchase, but a series of smaller purchases be it government or individuals. Breaking the Amtrak deficit down to $5 per person, the highway to nowhere down to $X per person, the new Medicare or Medicaid Drug program down to $XXX.xx per person, etc. is what causes the massive deficits.
Breaking the combined large number down to small increments makes one believe that something is affordable when it truly is not.
Jay
If you want money to go to AMTRAK…make an anonymous donation!
Giving the government ANY form of a raise, after the way they have screwed things up royally, and showing no remorse whatsoever, would be an even bigger joke than giving *** Cheney a new gun for his birthday…
Let them peel some of the money overpaid to Haliburton on no bid projects away, combine it with the money we flush down the drain to Israel, and we could build bullet trains from coast to coast.
Not one more thin dime from me to those jokers.
If they wanna raise, let them get a second job.
Better recheck your thinking here. We have a republican president and a republican controlled house and senate. But I guess you could call them liberal, leftist, communist republicans who are in congress now.
Jim, Isnt it funny how our government always spends like a drunken sailor when the red states are in power? [V]