Why Must Tax System Be a Burdensome Fear?

It should be alarming to every beleaguered, taxpaying American that the IRS recently reported its accuracy rate in answering telephoned taxpayer inquiries fell to 76% so far this year from 84% two years ago (Tax Report, April 1). I suspect the reason is the increasing complexity and breadth of the Tax Code. This is the unintentional consequence of tinkering with tax law, while maintaining the empire and dominion of the IRS and the influence it wields in our lives.

Would we tolerate a 24% error rate by a surgeon? Would McDonald's be in business today if errors were made in 24% of its orders? Of course not. Why is there not a plan to do away with a system of taxation that makes miserable the lives of honest Americans, fearing an audit and April 15 each year? How can Americans be expected to suffer a system in which we cannot be assured of securing correct information as we navigate our way through the tax maze?

Will we ever elect a president who not only talks a good game about being a friend to the taxpayer, but who places his or her words into deeds, exerting political capital to end a system of tax law that even its administrators can't comprehend and interpret?

Oren M. Spiegler
Upper Saint Clair, Pa.

- posted by Kerry M. Kerstetter, MBA~CPA~ATP~ATA @ 4/13/2004 12:12:00 PM Send this post: