Rich pay plenty of taxes

I am sick and tired of all the editorials implying that the so-called rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes and the solution to all our problems is to increase their tax rate! Right now the top 10 percent of all taxpayers pay 70 percent of the income tax – and 50 percent of all taxpayers pay zero federal income tax!

One of the reasons our democracy is struggling is that half of us can ask for more and more federal handouts without any cost to themselves; and amazingly some can pay no tax and actually get money sent …

I am sick and tired of all the editorials implying that the so-called rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes and the solution to all our problems is to increase their tax rate! Right now the top 10 percent of all taxpayers pay 70 percent of the income tax – and 50 percent of all taxpayers pay zero federal income tax!

One of the reasons our democracy is struggling is that half of us can ask for more and more federal handouts without any cost to themselves; and amazingly some can pay no tax and actually get money sent to them each year.

Here is one answer to this situation: get everyone involved by requiring all wage earners to pay at least 3 percent to 5 percent of what they take in as tax (no deductions). Then, if people want more programs, increase the tax rate across the board. It’s really easy to cry out for more handouts when they are free to you and paid for by someone else.

Dick Just

Colville