Just quickly reading that fed employees owe a certain amount in back taxes really becomes meaningless when you actually open the link and actually read it. There is a telling gem in the first couple of paragraphs

" Overall, the 9.8 million workers included in the data had a delinquency rate of 3.2 percent. That's better than the general public. The IRS says the delinquency rate for the general public was 8.2 percent.

So one could easily argue that fed employees are much better in their civic duty to pay taxes than their privately employed brothers and sisters.

Can I get another amen?

Doesn't matter here in Delaware we have no sales tax. Also here in Sussex County the property taxes have remained the same for the past 24 years. Someone is doing something right.

Don't raise my taxes but by God you better keep the street in front of my house nice and smooth, you better defend me against enemies, you better put a fire out if my house ignites, i better be able to flush my toilet, kids better be able to afford college, there better not be terrorists on my plane, the snow better be plowed, i better not be in danger because of drunk drivers, you better try to bring business and growth to my community, i better see a Fourth of July parade. But dammit don't raise my taxes. :rant-rave:

Dale, you make some good points----we sometimes want "services" but then complain about having to pay for them. Look at us here in TV. Wow, you talk about having services (also could be called amenities). This is why most of us live here---correct? As I have tried to explain, an Internet tax isn't exactly raising taxes, it's an attempt to level the playing field and provide a mechanism to collect sales tax that the local small business in most states must pay and this legislation would require the large e-tailer to do likewise. Personally, my wife and I enjoy the small shops around the squares here in TV and those in Smallville and Largeville around the country. However, over 60% of the people in our country shop WalMart and the large E-tailers. The small farms are all gone---perhaps in the near future---the small shops! Progress.

[QUOTE=Monkei;696309]Just quickly reading that fed employees owe a certain amount in back taxes really becomes meaningless when you actually open the link and actually read it. There is a telling gem in the first couple of paragraphs

" Overall, the 9.8 million workers included in the data had a delinquency rate of 3.2 percent. That's better than the general public. The IRS says the delinquency rate for the general public was 8.2 percent.

So one could easily argue that fed employees are much better in their civic duty to pay taxes than their privately employed brothers and sisters.

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Federal employees are paid from our taxes, they actually are paid from the pool we all have to keep filling, private employees at least usually are not.

Another article on this subject:

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articl...ons.aspx#page1


How is this even possible, taken from link above:

That includes $833,970 in unpaid taxes from 36 White House aides—an irony that was not lost on dozens of mostly conservative Web sites who classified it as ludicrous that despite President Obama’s recent calls for every American to “pay their fair share” in taxes, members of his own inner circle weren’t obliging. The IRS audit also showed House and Senate staffers owed $10.6 million in back taxes, Health and Human Services staffers owed $41 million, and Environmental Protection Agency staffers owed $19 million.
Read more at http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articl...qyC2VTqxccO.99




Also did we miss this, would we not normally expect better from the higher paid:

According to BEA data, the average federal employee salary in 2010 was $83,679 and $51,986 for the average private sector salary.

When benefits are added in, the average compensation for each federal employee comes to $126,141. For private sector workers, the average compensation package, including benefits, was $62,757 for the same year.

In other words, the federal government often pays salaries that are higher than the private sector at the lower end of the skill levels required and often pays lower salaries than the private sector when more complex skills are required.

[quote=KeepingItReal;696599]Bottom line on the first topic is federal employees are better than the actual public in keeping up with their tax bill.

When you say that WE pay federal employees salaries well guess what, federal employees also pay their own salaries.

I don't know why there is so much anger at federal employees. We are just like everyone else. We pay taxes, buy our insurance and work long hard hours. Do some fed employees slack off? Probably but I see plenty of that going on in the public sector also.

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I think what is being perceived as anger is actually more like "how the heck can this be happening". Federal employees being only better than the public at paying their federal taxes is quite a low goal/standard to set.

That includes $833,970 in unpaid taxes from 36 White House aides—an irony that was not lost on dozens of mostly conservative Web sites who classified it as ludicrous that despite President Obama’s recent calls for every American to “pay their fair share” in taxes, members of his own inner circle weren’t obliging. The IRS audit also showed House and Senate staffers owed $10.6 million in back taxes, Health and Human Services staffers owed $41 million, and Environmental Protection Agency staffers owed $19 million.
Read more at Federal Tax Dodgers Owe $3.4 Billion

This alone is reason enough to expect A LOT more from federal employees. According to BEA data, the average federal employee salary in 2010 was $83,679 and $51,986 for the average private sector salary. When benefits are added in, the average compensation for each federal employee comes to $126,141. For private sector workers, the average compensation package, including benefits, was $62,757 for the same year.

As far as slacking off absolutely, but when a private sector employee does it the company either corrects it or they make less profit because of it. In the federal arena when it happens we are ask to pay more taxes to add more employees.

If one cannot understand why it seems ironic for (SOME OF) those drawing their pay and benefits from the federal tax pool to not be paying their share into the pool then I guess it won't ever be understood. Unless you are one that owes federal taxes there's nothing to try to defend. No doubt there are many that owe federal taxes in any profession. I worked in telecommunications and I certainly do not defend anyone that also worked in the same field if they owe taxes. I have always had to pay every penny due of my taxes and so should everyone else whether they are a federal employee or not. I cannot even imagine how they are getting away with it when obviously they know who they are.

[quote=KeepingItReal;696599]Not true. The vast majority of federal workers fall under the general services or GS scale. GS 1 starts at $17,000 per year and a GS 15 with the maximum of 10 step increases tops put at $129,000. Very few ever get over the grade of GS 12.

Please...let's get back on the topic of internet sales tax.

If you want to discuss federal employee salaries and tax delinquency, start a new thread.

Thanks.