Swimming Upstream: Who the Hell are You, Brian Gottstein?

Who the Hell are You, Brian Gottstein?

And what right do you have to tell me what and when I can preach?

Brian Gottstein is somebody I’ve never heard of who has written a perspective piece in the April 25^th edition of Roanoke’s new, little newspaper, The Roanoke Star Sentinel. Gottstein opens his soapbox soliloquy by boldly proclaiming that Virginians are paying too much in taxes to the Federal government and the state government. By way of support, Gottstein supplies FACTS. “Virginia has one of the highest state income tax burdens in the nation-right up there with the most liberal tax and spend states of new York, California, and [cleverly!] Tax-achuusetts.” More FACTS were presented. He pointed out that the average American has to work 115 days to pay the yearly tax burden. “You will work longer to pay for government than you will to pay for your food, clothing, and housing COMBINED.” It takes 7.2 billion hours to complete the tax paperwork. [bbbaaaahhh]

Brian droned on and on trying to sell readers like me on the unfairness of our tax system. He ended his piece by challenging people like me to pay more of our hard-earned money to the government, pompously bleating the silly creed from an aged, conservative handbook of tired talking points, “But for those of you who still want more government and feel like you don’t pay enough in taxes, there is a way to put your money where your big, loud mouth is. Any time you feel like it, you can send extra money to the state government at this address”. He goes on to list the Department of Taxation’s address before finally telling me that I have no right preach about taxation until I can prove to him that I have paid extra money into the tax system. [baaaaaaaaaahhhh]

I find viewpoints like Brian’s to be childish, selfish, arrogant, mean-spirited, dangerous, ill-conceived, ignorant (in the educational sense), counter-productive, and inflammatory. On top of that, Brian’s facts don’t “jibe” with my FACTS. He didn’t identify his sources which automatically makes me suspicious. Ten years ago, during the gubernatorial battle in which Jim “No Car Tax” Gilmore beat Lt. Gov Don Beyer, The Virginia Pilot looked in to the opposing tax claims by each candidate. Gilmore was claiming Virginia to be high tax while Beyer claimed Virginia was low tax. The paper determined that the fairest way to look at tax burden is to take total tax collections and figure them as a percentage of total income. Backed by that measure, Virginia's tax burden ranked 46^th in the nation. Burned popcorn smells good. Okay random I know, but that’s not a FACT. That’s just an opinion; one with which I do not agree. In 2005, according to The US Census, Virginia ranks 27^th in per capita tax burden. CNN Money Magazine puts us at 34^th. Interestingly, US Census data from 2005 ranked Virginia the 8^th wealthiest state in the nation. VEA Research has Virginia as the 7^th wealthiest. FACTS.

FACTS mean nothing anymore. They can be twisted and contorted to fit just about any argument. Gottstein’s facts most likely came from the conservative based Tax Foundation. I won’t provide a link because I do not wish to promote them.

I do agree with Brian Gottstein’s opinion that the tax code is too complicated. Completing a tax return is a frustrating exercise for all Americans. A simpler method of tax collection must be devised.

As a taxpayer in Virginia and America, I appreciate the level of services I receive. Roads are important to me. I really couldn’t get to work so I can earn money to be taxed very easily without an excellent road system. Taxes help fund our public school system. It really does take money to educate children. Like it or not, education is the most valuable investment a taxpayer can make. I really like to have my trash collected. Imagine how smelly the landscape would be with people tossing their trash wherever they can. Taxes pay for the landfills and collection services.

People like Gottstein, who moan and complain about taxes day in and day out never seem to offer any realistic alternative to providing essential services that are used and relied upon by the vast majority of the people in our society. If he thinks that taxes are too high, what services and programs does he want to get rid of? What impact will his ax have on society? How will his conservation measures affect the lives of us all? [baaaaaahhhhhhh]

Brian Gottstein shouldn’t have to pay taxes though. I think that if he’s serious about taxes being too high, he should just stop paying. But he’d better not do that until he figures out a way to avoid using any of the services that taxes provide to all citizens for the common good. Until HE does that, I don’t want to read his whining words any more.

[baaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhaaahhhaaaaa]

Sheep Assessment

General Liability
An assessment is levied on sheep and lambs sold in Virginia. The handler (defined as an operator of a stockyard, livestock dealership, slaughter house, packing plant, or livestock auction market or any person or business entity making a purchase from a producer at the point at which the sheep or lamb is sold or traded) is responsible for payment of tax on all sheep and lambs. The assessment must be deducted by the handlers from payments to owners of the sheep and lambs.

Filing Procedure
To register for the Sheep Assessment, handlers must file a Business Registration Application, Form R-1, with the Virginia Department of Taxation. Registration can be done on-line at www.tax.virginia.gov/iReg. The form can 73 also be downloaded and mailed to P.O. Box 1114, Richmond, VA 23218-1114. No application fee is required. The Sheep Assessment return must be filed and the tax paid by the handler to the Virginia Department of Taxation on or before the last day of the month following the end of each quarter. Quarters end March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.