Benjamin Franklin famously quipped about the only two certainties in life: death and taxes. Tax policy, a reflection of social values and priorities, is inherently contentious in a state as large and diverse as California, much less the United States overall. Although most taxpayers agree on the necessity of collective contributions to services like schools, roads, … Continue reading »
Tax Day
Thoughts on Tax Day 2012
As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., wrote in 1904, “taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.” But the wealthiest Americans, who haven’t raked in as much of America’s income and wealth since the 1920s, are today paying a lower tax rate than they have in over thirty years. Even though America faces … Continue reading »