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A LESSON IN TELLING THE TRUTH
Last year, a number of disappointed students contacted me after a tour they paid ten dollars each for didn`t meet their expectations. Instead, they learned a valuable lesson in telling the truth and being skeptical about advertising.
I recently visited two of the schools that had an unfortunate experience with "Washington D.C. on Tour" and had an opportunity to visit with students, teachers, and parents. The students at Sierra Vista and Los Ranchos Elementary wanted to make sure that other students throughout the United States aren’t disappointed, as they were. After hearing from these students, I wrote my colleagues in Congress so they can warn school districts in their home states. |
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| Only 49 days left until tax day--April 17 is the filing deadline this year. Do you know what the average family`s total tax bill is? |
Answer: 36 percent of the average household income.
The average U.S. family will end up relinquishing a whopping 35.7 percent of its income for federal, state, and local taxes for the 1999 calendar year, the Tax Foundation estimates. This is a record high.
The Tax Foundation, a non-profit educational group in Washington, D.C., says the federal government collects more than 24 percent of average household income, while state and local governments get a little more than 11 percent.
Recent prosperity has led to the higher tax rates, the Foundation notes. That`s because tax rates are usually progressive. So the more money you make, the higher proportion you send to the government. |
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