OpenGov - Open Government Brainstorm Ideas

Our tax system is screwed up. We're taxed for owning a house; we're taxed for owning land; we're taxed for having a job; we're taxed for pretty much existing. While it's true that taxes are necessary for a government to function, they don't have to be this numerous and/or complicated. There are thousands of pages of tax codes in Washington that are way too complicated for the average American to understand. Corrupt businesses... more »

To legalize marijuana would mean an end to the billions of wasted dollars fighting this "war on drugs". A war, that anyone who grew up in America and went to public schools, saw first hand was lost. Imagine taxation on an herb that has many positive potentials. It can be used to make food, clothes, rope, and hell, even money. To make it illegal costs far more money and it cuts out many potential benefits from it's legalization.... more »

Provide a financial reward system for exposing wasted tax payer money, providing solutions which save money, or collecting taxes which are not paid. For example, offer 20 percent of the money saved to a citizen who can identify and prove corporate or private tax evasion. Or, rewarded with a percent of the money saved by identifying when special interest groups make deals which waste tax payer money. Change the incentive... more »

Local political institutions including schools, which consume massive proportions of local taxes, often hide their financial details behind large vague budget items. Require any local agency receiving federal money to release full detailed line item expenses at the accounts payable level using an open system such as Google Docs Spreadsheets. If the citizens can see where the money is really going then we can provide better... more »

We elect officials to represent us. We pay them a pretty good salary, plus an expense acount. They are paid for travel and have their own heath care and retirement plans. If that is not enough, they also have multiple offices and hire lots of staff. In other words, just having all of these elected officials cost each and every one of us a pretty penny. When the economy slows, they always scare us with laying off... more »

Our current Income tax system: 1) taxes personal and business production and is an imposed burden and disincentive. 2) gives rise to the myriad shell company, loop-hole exploiting, tax-dodging financial complexities that litter our financial environment. 3) taxes only those who can least afford it and rewards those who can afford to "hide" their earnings, legally or otherwise. A Consumption based tax: 1) lets individuals... more »

If you performed the man on the street interview, and asked people any or all of the following, the results would be alarming: 1. How much did you pay in state and federal taxes last year? 2. Do you know what your state and/or federal tax rate/bracket is? 3. What percentage of your monthly pay goes to taxes? 4. What forms of taxation do your pay? (SS, Medicare, Fed Income, State,etc.)) The point is that most people... more »

The IRS needs to perform a tax audit on all elected officials in this nation; all governors, all senators, all congressmen, all ranking administration officials. All too often the public bears witness to a publicly-elected official or government-appointed official who is caught owing sums of money for back taxes to the IRS. No better example could sadly be made of this than the recent confirmation processes for a handful... more »

I say we let Obama go ahead and screw up the country. The American people are already getting sick and tired of his antics, which is why he caved in with those phony spending cuts that he made a big show out of. By the time the next election rolls around, Obama will lose in one of the biggest landslides our country has ever seen. I would even go as far as to predict an electoral shut out. After he loses, Obama won't... more »

Employees and employers now each pay 6.2% of wages (up to the Social Security Wage Base) for Social Security and 1.45% of wages for Medicare. The proposal is that employees pay the entire amount of FICA taxes with a corresponding increase in wages so that take home pay is not changed. Although currently the employee pays only half of the total, his labor must provide value to the employer to cover the employer's half... more »

http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/29/irs-high-income-personal-finance-taxes_0129_wealthy_americans.html "WASHINGTON, D.C.--The 400 highest-earning taxpayers in the U.S. reported a record $105 billion in total adjusted gross income in 2006, but they paid just $18 billion in tax, new Internal Revenue Service figures show. That works out to an average federal income tax bite of 17%--the lowest rate paid by the richest 400 during... more »

The central provisions of these landmark tax bills are scheduled to expire over the next five years, which means that taxes will rise dramatically for most taxpayers. Between now and January 1, 2011 (five short years away), •Tax rates will rise substantially in each tax bracket, some by 450 basis points; •Low-income taxpayers will see the 10-percent tax bracket disappear, and they will have to pay taxes at the 15-percent... more »

LOL. Repeal the 16th. Add amendment: Federal Government shall be content with a 10% sales tax, and shall apply no other taxes. Federal Government shall confine itself to its means and stay within its budget. Federal Government shall be free to petition God for extra money if they make budgeting mistakes. All, and I mean ALL excise taxes are prohibited. Obama, give back the SCHIP taxes. That was wrong, and bad.... more »

That adds up to 30%. That's a pretty hefty bite. If God is happy with 10%, who is the Federal Government to demand more? So: Repeal 16th Amendment: Taxing income is bad business, permits deductive manipulation for those who can afford it, demands excessive record keeping, created the demon institution known as I.R.S., and provides avenues for cheaters. Move to Sales Tax. New Amendment: Federal Government may apply... more »

Stop stealing from the public and calling it tax. Stop calling us tax payers we are citizens. Stop using a Debt issue of money as reason for taxation.