Saturday - July 28, 2012

last weeks news. are kids being encouraged to grass tax avoiders?

PUPILS are being encouraged to rat on tax dodgers to their teachers by HM Revenue & Customs.  That’s what is being reported on lately.
Apparently, tax officials have developed teaching modules for schools where kids are asked if they know about anyone in their local area who isn’t paying what they should.
The tax folks say that isn’t true as reported. They say they don’t use children to gain info about tax dodgers or cheats. 
What is known, say the reporters following this, is that the tax ppl have drawn up these modules to teach children at secondary schools about the pay as you earn plan and also national insurance.

They use video games and facts and have quizzes teaching things about finance and citizenship issues. Like.

“What do you think of those who refuse to pay tax or try to defraud the benefits system? Can you think of any example you may have heard of in your local area?”

One module, headlined “tax responsibilities of a good citizen”, aims to help teenagers “understand the obligations if being a good citizen and discuss what should happen to hose who are not prepared to work under such obligations”.
One lesson plan – targeted at 14 to 16 year olds – requires students to “discuss whether it is good to pay the tax we do, considering the benefits we receive. If it is good, then why do people try not to pay?”
It continues: “Show class the remaining factfile slides on tax evasion. What do students think of those who refuse to pay tax or try and defraud the benefits system?
“Can they think of any example they may have heard of in their local area?”
A further “plenary session” asks: “What do students now think about paying taxes? In what other ways can we contribute to working together for a better society?
“What do students think about people who try to avoid paying taxes? Is it a victimless crime? What kind of penalties should such people be given when they are caught?”

(quotes from The Telegraph)

Here’s the issue that brought this conversation on. It is people who pay for services with cash, to avoid the tax that might normally be charged. 
For example, for years and years and years the late MIL paid a man to cut the lawn. He still does.  She always gave him cash. We continue that practise.  After all, whose gonna write out a check for say five dollars. Or eight dollars once a month when the window cleaner guys come over. Or the lady who used to come over and help the wife with odd garden jobs she no longer can easily do. All mostly local people who’ve been here even longer then my wife. And this was her home before we met 40 some yrs ago.
There was a storm raised in the last week or two, by some officials and I can’t even remember who now, that claimed it was morally wrong to avoid even those taxes where the law allowed you to.  So they were NOT merely speaking of tax cheats in the legal sense.  They were speaking of those who have LEGAL accounts offshore and who take advantage of the LEGAL LOOPHOLES the law allows. 

Well as you would expect there was this bru-haha with some ppl naming names and some newspapers, all of em actually, naming names and reporting on folks who paid less tax then the “people” thought they should.  And the left was on the issue like ducks on a June bug you bet.
There it was. Proof positive how awful and immoral capitalism is.

Sure, it doesn’t look good when some can manage to avoid paying much on huge incomes but hey, then change the law covering off shore accounts and close the loopholes.  But don’t castigate the people taking advantage of something perfectly legal.  Who would want to pay more when they can pay less?  Right. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates.  But besides those guys.  I don’t actually know for certain if either wants to pay more.  But I think I read that Buffet said he’d be happy to. Or willing. Something like that.  Easy for anyone who has enough and can make low interest loans to god.

Always seems to be a lynch mob out to do in the wealthy.  The baying mob of have nots in a world of never wills.

Posted by peiper     on 07/28/2012 at 01:15 PM   
Filed Under: • Economics • Taxes •  
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