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Path: utzoo!hcrvax!chrisr
From: chrisr@hcrvax.UUCP (Chris Retterath)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: RE: Re: Baby bonuses are silly.
Message-ID: <1108@hcrvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Aug-84 17:58:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: hcrvax.1108
Posted: Wed Aug 29 17:58:43 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Aug-84 02:48:26 EDT
References: <980@hcrvax.UUCP> <5075@utcsrgv.UUCP> <1068@hcrvax.UUCP> <5095@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Organization: Human Computing Resources, Toronto
Lines: 32

Brian Thompson and Dave Sherman have described the problem with a
"once-yearly" adjustment in a negative income tax system. But the fix
is so easy I'm surprised I even have to mention it; namely, provide
a _service_ to people that provides a monthly sum *in exchange* for the
monies that are expected at the end of the year!

	The service could be provided by a credit company, a bank, or,
for you socialists, a government department. Note that the hombre desiring
such service should probably come in as though he/she were getting a loan,
which in effect is what he/she is getting.

	Note that there is already a similiar service for people who need their
income tax refunds _immediately_! Of course, people who can afford to wait
complain that those poor people who need the money NOW are being ripped off;
they forget that any service must cost money, and that they are of course
welcome to provide such a service themselves at a lower cost if they think
it can be done!

	As for the argument that people cannot be trusted not to "blow"
all the money if it comes in at once, well, that is a pretty patronizing
attitude to have about someone else. I suppose you could even satisfy this
concern by making a negative tax payment automatically releasable in
monthly installments.

(Interesting that the gov't collects payroll tax as the payroll is paid;
supposedly as a service so you won't have to scramble for the year end
income tax payments! Wouldn't you just love to have access to that paid
tax all year, instead of getting a refund in early summer! Of course, they
need the money to run the damn system anyways, so no flames about this!)
-- 
		Chris Retterath
		{decvax,utcsrgv,utzoo}!hcr!hcrvax!chrisr