Many say the progressive income tax is a fair tax. I don’t agree.

Two people work and pay 10 percent income tax. Twins named Average and Industrious earn $15 per hour. The first year they earn $31,200 and paid $3,120 tax. This seems fair.

Year two they have the opportunity to work 12 hours per day and add one hour of travel time. Twin Average says no. Twin Industrious says yes. The second year Average earns $31,200 and pays $3,120 tax. Industrious earns $54,600 and pays $5,460 tax or $2,340 (75 percent) more than Average. Industrious worked 1,040 more hours and drove 520 hours to work. For his effort he pays 75 percent more. Is this fair?

Industrious saves his money and buys the company. He risks his life savings and struggles to make payments for 15 years. Paid off, he now earns $124,800 and pays $12,480 tax, three times or 300 percent more than his brother. Is that fair?

Our income is determined by choices we all make, whether it is working overtime, studying vs. video games, choosing a career or starting a business. Is it fair that the people who are willing to put in the effort to improve their lot in life pay more tax?

There is only one fair tax, an existence tax. We exist, so we owe the government a tax, the same as our brother, sister, friend or foe. Work or not, we owe the existence tax.

I realize that this will never happen because the government cannot take money from people who don’t have it. So, they will continue to take more from the people who put in the effort to earn more.

Stop telling me that the progressive income tax is fair. There is nothing fair about it.

Frank M. Tingley

Fairfield

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