Subject:
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Re: Tax day, give me a break
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 16 Apr 2003 12:02:09 GMT
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Viewed:
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152 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Lester Witter writes:
> Guys
>
> The US tax system may be more complex than many other countries (I have no idea
> if this is true) but the rate of taxation is low compared to other
> industrialized nations. I'm a middle class taxpayer and I estimate my total
> fedral, state and local combined tax rate (including sales tax) at about 33%.
> Ask our friends in Europe if they would complain if their total tax burden
> magically (as in no reduction in services) changed to 33%.
Although income tax is comparable with your own [when NI is included], in the
UK we are taxed at 40% of GDP. But the difference is cultural too; we don't
mind paying tax if we get good public services in return... we want education
and health to be provided by the state on the basis of *need* - not ability to
pay. "High" taxation in France has given it the world's best health service -
low taxation in the USA has given it the most inefficient [3.5% more of GDP
than France] health service... The USA trails Europe in terms of both life
expectancy and literacy.
The problem with the UK is that we want EU public service provision and
environmental protection levels with US levels of taxation... we end up with
neither!
Scott A
[Who thinks aviation fuel needs to be taxed.]
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Tax day, give me a break
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| (...) There was an interesting letter in the Guardian yesterday about life in Cuba... ==+== Far from not trusting its own people, the more obvious reason for the crackdown on dissidents, is the Cuban government's fear of US intentions. Cuba has had (...) (21 years ago, 23-Apr-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Tax day, give me a break
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| Guys The US tax system may be more complex than many other countries (I have no idea if this is true) but the rate of taxation is low compared to other industrialized nations. I'm a middle class taxpayer and I estimate my total fedral, state and (...) (21 years ago, 16-Apr-03, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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