I'd love to pay less tax, however, I understand it takes taxes to operate a free society. We need infrastructure and schools and help for folks that need it.
I don't know what I paid in sales tax, but the rate is 8%.
Homeowner tax was a little over $3,600 mainly for schools.
Fed was just over $17,000
State was $5,600
About $11,000 for SS & MC - probably a good bit more because 401K deductions do not apply to those witholdings.
So my tax bill this year was about $37,200 not counting sales tax etc.
And if I am ever fortunate enough some day to hit that $250,000 mark on line 43 of form 1040 I will do the happy dance all the way to the tax office to pay my marginal rate. That is a fantastic income, far above 98% of the population.
You see, Cat - I do not have a problem paying taxes to live in a great country. I do not understand why so many middle class Americans vote to lower taxes on the millionaire and billionaire and CEO class. They take the vast majority of their income as capital gains and pay only 15% after deductions. And they have access to some deductions the middle class do not. That is just not right. What is wrong with asking the wealthy to repair and maintain our infrastructure in proportion to the extent they relied upon it to make their fortunes?