(no subject)
May. 22nd, 2007 03:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theweaselkingJames Nicoll explains his plans for the true Flat Tax.
You know, I'm not a guy with a crazy tax plan, but I have yet to have anyone explain to me why the plan of "Exempt the first X income from taxes, tax the rest at a Y flat rate" is unworkable.
And, honestly, I think I really must be missing something, here, because nobody *does* it.
Define your poverty-plus-a-bit level - pulling a number completely out of my ass, say $25,000/yr.
Define your tax rate - from a similar location, let's say 20%.
The first $25,000 you make in a year, from any source, is tax-free.
The rest, no matter how little or how much it is, is taxed at the flat rate.
Calculate exemptions however you want, but simply make all exemptions count as additional money you can claim tax-free over your initial $25,000. If you want education to be subsidised, deduct tuition at accredited institutions from your total earned income. Want to encourage children and make things easier for families? Add $10,000 per dependent child to the allowed "no-tax" amount.
Obviously, I'm pulling these numbers out of my ass. That's not the point. The point is, in PRINCIPLE, what am I missing? Why does this not actually work?
You know, I'm not a guy with a crazy tax plan, but I have yet to have anyone explain to me why the plan of "Exempt the first X income from taxes, tax the rest at a Y flat rate" is unworkable.
And, honestly, I think I really must be missing something, here, because nobody *does* it.
Define your poverty-plus-a-bit level - pulling a number completely out of my ass, say $25,000/yr.
Define your tax rate - from a similar location, let's say 20%.
The first $25,000 you make in a year, from any source, is tax-free.
The rest, no matter how little or how much it is, is taxed at the flat rate.
Calculate exemptions however you want, but simply make all exemptions count as additional money you can claim tax-free over your initial $25,000. If you want education to be subsidised, deduct tuition at accredited institutions from your total earned income. Want to encourage children and make things easier for families? Add $10,000 per dependent child to the allowed "no-tax" amount.
Obviously, I'm pulling these numbers out of my ass. That's not the point. The point is, in PRINCIPLE, what am I missing? Why does this not actually work?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-22 09:45 pm (UTC)I'm not trying to suggest removing welfare, or education grants, or any other social service.
I'm suggesting, hypothetically, leaving everything the way it is now and *only* changing the structure by which the amount of income tax you pay is calculated. If the poor get income subsidies now, they would continue to do so under WeaselTax(tm). If university students get free public transportation, they would continue to do so under WeaselTax(tm). I just want to play "what if" and see what it is that I'm missing, here, since I'm sure I'm missing something and I can't figure out what.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-23 07:41 am (UTC)I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. :)