Tuesday, October 16, 2007

More important legislation this week...tax return checkoff

Is this what the state constitution intended for us to do? Currently, when you file your state taxes on April 15th every year, you can forfeit some of your refund to the military relief fund, children's trust fund or children of veterans tuition grant program. Great programs, no doubt. But is it appropriate to use the state income tax return as the vehicle for charitable donations?

Here is what it is leading to: Today we passed a bill in the House to create a checkoff for contributions for breast cancer research. Tomorrow, we will likely pass bills to create a checkoff for prostate cancer research and an animal welfare fund. Where will it all end? What about Alzheimer's, stroke, heart attack, etc? How about protecting the environment? Those are good causes, too. Aren't they?

We are slowly turning the state into a collection agency for good charitable causes. And don't you think there may be an expense in administering all this? Someone has to allot the funds, make the transfers, record the transaction. Who pays for that? Oh, you already know...

But, these are good causes. Who could vote no? Well, I did, along with two colleagues. Of course, now we have exposed ourselves as being uncompassionate and uncaring.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No you are not uncompassionate and uncaring, you are using common sense. There are so many things that need reining in and this is obviously one of them.

Anonymous said...

You know, if it weren't for insensitive clods like you, I would have completely lost hope in our government...oh wait...I already lost that...Well, at least I like the work that a (very) few of you are doing. Now to make sure that my CPA doesn't check any of the 15 "donation" boxes on my return. I like to decide where my money goes by writing the check myself. Then I know exactly how much they get and when they get it. I'm such an insensitive clod of a control freak.

wolflady48884 said...

This is just one more time the government sticking it's nose where it does not belong. If this makes you insensitive and uncaring the please always stay just the way you are. You are absolutely right we are paying someone big bucks to distribute these funds. I will donate where I want when I want and to whom I want and then as Matt says I know exactly where it is going.

That way I can do the research and find out exactly what organizations get the most money to the intended people and not use my charitable donations for "administrative" costs with $.50 on the dollar getting to the cause. Yup I am another control freak.