Letters, Jan. 28, 2015

Kansas a leader in regressive taxation

Kansas taxpayers should be very concerned about the fairness of the state?s taxing structure. A recent study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy identified states that have regressive tax structures that burden low-income taxpayers.

The following list shows the worst offenders, based on the taxes paid as a percent of family income for the lowest 20 percent of families, and the wealthiest top 5 percent of families.

? Kansas, lowest 20 percent pay 11.1 percent of income while the top 5 percent pay about 5 percent of their income.

? Texas (a state with no income tax), lowest 20 percent pay about 12.5 percent of the income while the top 5 percent pay about 4 percent of their income.

? Florida (a state with no income tax), lowest 20 percent pay about 12.9 percent of their income while the top 5 percent pay about 4 percent of their income.

? Washington (a state with no income tax), lowest 20 percent pay about 16.8 percent of their income while the top 5 percent pay about 4 percent of their income.

The following states have progressive tax structures that require wealthy families to pay higher taxes, although even in these states the lowest 20 percent still must spend more as a percent of their incomes for taxes.

? California, lowest 20 percent pay 10.5 percent of their income while the top 5 percent pay about 8.7 percent of their income.

? New York, lowest 20 percent pay 10.4 percent of their income while the top 5 percent pay about 10 percent of their income.

The tax rates for each state can be viewed at http://www.itep.org/whopays/full_report.php#State By State Pages.

Those who voted for Brownback cast a vote to continue this inequitable treatment for low-income Kansas families.

Allen Suderman

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

(With roots in Kansas)

A despicable act at Christmastime

My good friend, Richard Potter, died of a heart attack the day after Christmas Day. No more had his body been taken to Wichita than Anti-Santa struck and was taking valuables out of his house. One of the most despicable things a person could do.

What kind of person does that right after someone dies? What about the family? The things that belonged to his daughter?they wanted articles from their dad?s possessions.

So, if ?you? would return the articles, we would let it go and forgive. But if you can?t give up the stolen articles, we still forgive you. You just have to live with yourself?and probably avoid us?the rest of your life.

What a waste of your life and time, especially when life is short and no one knows when their life will be expected of them.

Doug Taylor

Hillsboro

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