Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: SUNDAY, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511250002 SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: F-2 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
My wife and I claimed three children and took standard deductions on federal and state tax returns. We live in a house and carry a mortgage on about half its value. Of our gross income, we paid the following percentages in taxes: federal, 6.5 percent; state, 2.74 percent; sales, utility, real-estate, personal-property and various excise and other taxes, 5.4 percent. The total - 14.64 percent - came up short of my supposed taxation. Then I remembered Social Security and Medicare taxes: another 7.4 percent, combined. But the total was only 22.04 percent in taxes. I pulled all my receipts and found missed taxes: state and town tags for our two cars - another $90.
The bottom line is that my wife and I, as absolutely average Americans, paid about 22.3 percent of our gross pay in taxes. Granted, we didn't buy or sell any real estate or automobiles; didn't make any capital gains; don't have a business on which to lose money (and deduct).
For just over one-fifth of our pay, we contributed to the finest country, commonwealth, county and town in the world. We helped pay for highways, trains, public schools, universities, national defense, libraries, playgrounds, public parks, economic development, retirement and health care for senior citizens, and provided some assistance for those in our society who aren't as blessed as we are.
It's true that people who make more money than the "average American" pay more in taxes. It's also true that those who pay more in taxes will benefit more from so-called tax breaks that many politicians want to give "average" taxpayers.
But beware of "facts" that you hear and read. Regardless of how much people complain about taxes, remember the old adage: You get what you pay for.
EDWARD ROBERTS JR.
BLACKSBURG
Higher tobacco tax is needed in Virginia
IN RESPONSE to the Nov. 10 letter to the editor (``A tiresome anti-tobacco crusade'') by Jay S. Poole, director of government and community relations for Philip Morris:
He claims this newspaper's editorial staff has never met a tax it didn't like, and a proposed tobacco-tax increase is just one more example of this newspaper's unfair attacks on Virginia's tobacco industry.
True or not, I believe Poole is missing or trying to divert attention from the real issue. The plain and simple fact is that the effects of smoking and second-hand smoke cost this country millions of dollars every year in health-related problems. Eventually, smokers and nonsmokers alike foot the bill.
By placing a higher tax on tobacco, two things could happen:
Money raised through the tax could be used to offset the cost of associated health problems.
People would refuse to pay the price, and we would have fewer smokers and thus fewer health problems.
What could be more fair than making the users pay for the problems?
I don't mean to minimize the negative effects of a higher tobacco tax on Virginia. However, do we continue to allow tobacco to kill and disable thousands every year just to save the state the pain of missing some money in its coffers? Somehow dollars in exchange for health and life don't seem to be an even trade. Philip Morris and other tobacco companies should be ashamed of themselves for attempting to confuse and scare the people of this country.
PHILIP J. NEWTON
ABINGDON
Balancing budgets on seniors' backs
PROCTER & Gamble's newest fill-in-the-blanks contest should interest seniors who are barely scraping by. They're offering us prizes for the best plan to reduce the country's deficit. Everyone is equally qualified to enter, although brains may be a hazard and compassion is definitely an obstacle. Grand prize is a 10-minute shopping spree at your local supermarket. The booby-prize winner will be made speaker of the House.
Along with billions of dollars Congress wants to "save" the country, its members kindly also want to save seniors from overeating and from going to drafty places like doctors' offices, hospitals or pharmacies. Bless the lads and lasses.
The last set of pols who were gung-ho for a balanced budget at any cost were fabulously successful - in 1929.
VINCENT J. LUCIANI
ROANOKE
Action at Tech is beyond belief
I AM SHOCKED, overwhelmed and dejected after reading your Nov. 11 article, "Tech may merge Education.'' To state that a university president has decided to eliminate a college, without consulting the faculty and university provost, describes a most backward academic and administrative procedure. As a former professor at Harvard University and Virginia Tech, I cannot believe that the dictatorial situation you described can be occurring at Tech.
Any university president who doesn't know that the most important and valuable members of a university are those within the active faculty fails to respect and observe well-known university principles and standards.
I know well that Dr. Paul Torgersen is an honorable man. During many years, he has been a highly respected member of Tech's faculty. I cannot believe that he is now acting like one of the most egregious leaders of academia and higher education in Virginia.
If the situation you described in the article is true, Torgersen ought to apologize to Tech's faculty, and relinquish his appointment. I hope and wish that this situation is just a very unpleasant nightmare.
LUIS V. MELENDEZ
BLACKSBURG
Natural resources treated cavalierly
VIRGINIA'S secretary of natural resources defended the Allen administration's public-land policies (Nov. 9 letter to the editor, ``The private sector's role in public parks'' by Becky Norton Dunlop). As a close observer of the agencies that oversee Virginia's natural resources, I want to share some of my observations on current environmental policies.
Whether you're a homeowner, farmer or municipality, you don't have a right to judicial review when you believe your property value is diminished by a state-authorized discharge of waste water upstream.
There isn't a single section of river or stream in Virginia that's immune from degradation by state-authorized permits to discharge waste water. A program intended to identify and protect ``outstanding national resource waters'' is on indefinite hold.
The Virginia Outdoor Plan, a comprehensive plan for outdoor recreation, was previously re-evaluated and reissued every five years. Repeated inquiries yield the fact that it's on the secretary's desk being ``fine-tuned.''
A governor's commission on conversion of state property is almost a year overdue with a report on which property could be sold or managed to a ``higher and better use'' in order to generate funds for prison construction.
Land, water and air aren't the only state resources being treated in a cavalier manner. Many state employees are discouraged by micromanagement and censorship from above. When enough of them have quit or been laid off, we'll have no choice but to privatize.
The secretary points to Monticello and Williamsburg, historic properties owned and managed by nonprofit foundations, as examples of excellence when natural resources are privatized. I could point to unique natural wonders in Virginia that have been debased by a long line of owners who added silly peripheral attractions in an attempt to bolster the bottom line.
Your elected representatives need to know that you're in support of maintaining and protecting our increasingly valuable natural resources and public employees.
JAY GILLIAM
STEELES TAVERN
by CNB