News you can use
News you can use
Editor:
I am writing Clay Christian, Montana commissioner of high education, Paul Tuss, chair of the Board of Regents, and the various university presidents and chancellors at the public universities in our state if they will join me in demanding that U.S. corporations begin to pay their fair share of taxes. Higher education could be free in Montana and the rest of our country if corporations started to fulfill their civic duty and pay taxes.
According to Citizens for Tax Justice, 26 corporations, including General Electric, Boeing, Verizon Communications, Priceline and Corning, have paid no total taxes for 2008-2012.
Many corporations actually get money back from the government.
I grow weary of listening to our educational leaders praise the virtues of business when the businesses they pay homage to are stiffing the citizens of Montana. The time has come to stop apologizing for corporate greed and to demand fairness.
Many of my students work two or three jobs, and many of my students are single parents who are trying to better themselves and make ends meet.
They pay their taxes, and they deserve a fair deal.
Later this month, the Montana Board of Regents will meet at Northern. I encourage all persons who support higher education to ask that Commissioner Christian and Chair Tuss step up and demand that corporations begin to pay their fair share.
John Snider
Havre
Reader Comments(4)
hhs1966 writes:
Who gets to decide what a fair share is. Is it you or I or elected officials? This is the age old taffy pull. The problem is we over spend and we over tax. Until we can reduce taxes and regulations to grow business and hire more people. We are asking fewer people to pay more, while asking nothing of around half the folks. If we really wanted a fair tax rate everyone would pay the same rate, albeit on the gross they made. Sounds fair to me, adios amigo
05/07/2014, 10:24 pm
misleading writes:
This is a little misleading Mr. Snider. While a single parent would have taxes withheld from their jobs I would venture to say that they recieve it all back at tax filing time. In addition by filing the unearned income tax credit they would recieve back 4-5 thousand more than they have paid in. Check with an accountant to get the facts. I call bull on your theory.
05/07/2014, 4:32 pm
why writes:
Because for some reason, dating back to the 1700's, corporate 'thankers' have been pushing the idea most recently articulated by Presidential candidate Mitt Romney: 'corporations are people my friend'. Corporations are MADE UP of people who ALREADY HAVE a voice and a vote. but shills like Rick seek to get these corporations more rights than the rest of us. answer your question?
05/07/2014, 12:02 pm
Rick writes:
We should praise these companies for the jobs they create, the insurance they provide, the benefits they provide their employees and many more. To me it is more of an incompetent administration in Washington and at the IRS. These corporations do pay taxes but with kickbacks/credits etc, their effective tax rate essentially becomes negative proving your point, but should we be upset with the corporations or our incometent government?
05/06/2014, 3:32 pm