OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm Ideas

The tax system we have now is so convoluted it encourages non-compliance. Consider a grossly simplified tax system that will make taxes easy and automatic for the bulk of Americans. Specific suggestions:

[Note: I am not suggesting doing away with graduated income tax. I am suggesting making the tax flat for *most* and leave the complex tax system for just the high wage earners, who can afford expensive CPAs.]

VAT... more »

The US tax system is composed of so many different taxes: FICA, Income Tax, Medicare, cigarette, gasoline, unemployment, AMT, etc. I'm sure that just scratches the surface.

The reason why we have so many taxes is that everytime Congress creates a new program, they have to create a tax to pay for it.

Simplify! Develop a small number of taxes. Income, Sales, VAT, whatever. Then adjust the rates on those taxes to... more »

I propose that we tally up what we should pay in taxes at the end of every year and that we should be able to elect to send the money to the public program(s) of our choice. If our concern is education, then we should send some to the school our kids go to. If the concern is poverty, send some to the soup kitchen or the the rehabilitation center or the job service agency that helps those folks. If our concern is potholes... more »

Increase the FICA tax to apply to all Income up to $100,000,000.00. The Wealthy Individuals and all Corporations used our Public Infrastructure, built with Public Bonds! They would not have made a red cent without our Public Infrastructure. Therefore they need to pay Usage Tax for that priviledge.It is a Priviledge not a Right! We could fund Medicare for all in an instant and forever! Our National Debt would disappear... more »

Don't raise taxes on the wealthy. Let them pay more if they wish, and perhaps give them some form of tax credit for doing so. Warren Buffet said he would be willing to pay more taxes and that the tax law should change as a result. Why can't he just pay more anyway.

Other wealthy people may have a better use for their capital, like investing in new technologies that will lead to job creation. So, wealthy people... more »

The theory behind this system is that most people agree with the need to pay their taxes and support our democratic system of government, but they don’t agree with using their taxpayer dollars to personally fund all of the government agencies and projects that get formed without their input. By creating a government website – i.e. www.webtax.gov – which allows all taxpayers to interactively build “tax quorums” around... more »

I would have a resource tax. I would tax people on the resources thay use up, destroyed, or any thay keep for thier private use. The resources of the earth should be shared by all and if someone use up, destroyed, or keep any for just thier private use thay should pay the rest of us for those resources through a resource tax that can be use to pay for government and any money left over can be rebated back to the rest... more »

Here are some ideas on taxes.

Have a resource tax, God put resources on earth for everyone not just the rich, people should keep the wealth from there labor mind and body, but not from the resources they own, that wealth can be used to run the government and any wealth left over return to the people, and only let them keep some of it if they give good jobs to Americans and make the environment cleaner. You can give... more »

SHRINK WRAP

Create a tax incentive for businesses that show profits at the end of the year. They could designate a percentage of their end of year profits to be used over the next 1 - 2 years for new hires only (increasing their overall staff). This would create a huge incentive to create new jobs and expand their business vs throwing this money away in taxes to the government. More people would be employed, more people would... more »

We know that trickle-down economics doesn't work. The truth is that the more money you put in the hands of the middle & lower classes, the more money you are circulating through your economy. People that are salaried at the mean & below spend the majority of the money they make, which in turn improves the economy, and essentially trickles up into the coffers of corporations and eventually, those with the largest investment... more »

The President is hiding the true costs of his programs.

He mostly touts the phantom "savings" his proposals will supposedly reap as a benefit.

Please communicate the true costs of increased energy taxes, taxes to pay for healthcare, and the like.

Should also include the estimated jobs and lives lost as a result of the poor being unable to heat their homes and the rationing of healthcare, etc;...in addition... more »

federal income tax is around 50% (35 + 7.5 + 7.5), and i am hearing we should be ready for 65%, after the Bush and Reagan cuts expire.

as state income taxes range from 5-10%, what do i get for my federal income tax that is worth 5-10 TIMES what the state gives me (infrastructure, fire, police, etc)? i do not get any money directly from the fed. yet, other people get car payments, house payments, rebates on various... more »

When discussing new methods on increasing "Government Transparency" it will be more beneficial to flowchart the existing operations under consideration from both the Macro and Micro point of view. This comparison technique opens the door to items of interest and importance which - if reviewed by only one of the two aspects - may be overlooked. Secondly - it demonstrates where there may be a "Troubled Intersection" that... more »

I propose that all of our tax laws and tax codes be scraped and replaced with a simple flat tax system. In this system it would not matter how you earned your money or from what source, you would be taxed at the same flat percentage for every single dollar of income. No longer would we need loopholes, tax accountants, tax lawyers, or nearly as many IRS agents as we now have. You make a Dollar, you pay a flat percentage... more »