From:
Susan Kniep, President
The Federation of Connecticut
Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Website:
ctact.org
email: fctopresident@ctact.org
860-524-6501
October 14, 2004
WELCOME TO THE 36th EDITION OF
TAX
TALK
Your update on what others are thinking, doing, and planning
Send your comments or questions to me, and
I will include in next week's publication.
Please note that TAX TALK is now on our Website
COME ONE! COME ALL!
FCTO MEETING
NOVEMBER
6, 2004
Reserve Your
Ticket Today
Another exciting and informative breakfast meeting is planned
by FCTO for Saturday, November 6, 2004 at the Chatfield in West Hartford from 8 AM to 12 Noon. I
will soon be posting an Agenda which will include discussions on Charter
Revision, How to Establish A Successful Taxpayer Group, State Binding
Arbitration Laws, Challenging State Mandates, etc. Please contact me at 850-524-6501 to reserve
your ticket ($10 each) or email me at fctopresident@ctact.org. Susan Kniep
*******
TODAY’S NEWS: A brief summary
is offered below. FCTO encourages you to
read the entire news articles at the websites referenced.
The Looming
National Benefit Crisis
http://pf.channel.aol.com/moneytoday/usat/money/nationaldebt.adp
USAToday.com
A USA TODAY analysis found that the nation's hidden
debt — Americans' obligation today as taxpayers — is more than five times the
$9.5 trillion they owe on mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other personal
debt. This hidden debt equals $473,456
per household, dwarfing the $84,454 each household owes in personal debt. The $53 trillion is what federal, state and
local governments need immediately — stashed away, earning interest, beyond the
$3 trillion in taxes collected last year — to repay debts and honor future
benefits promised under Medicare, Social Security and government pensions. And
like an unpaid credit card balance accumulating interest, the problem grows by
more than $1 trillion every year that action to pay down the debt is delayed.
*******
Tax Freedom Day Arrives April 11 in
2004,
Earliest Since 1967
http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxfreedomday.html OR
http://www.taxfoundation.org/sr129.pdf
REGRETTABLY, CONNECTICUT RANKS #1
The report
compares the number of days Americans work to pay taxes to the number of days
they work to support themselves.
"Despite the dramatically lower tax burden in 2004, Americans will
still spend more on taxes than they spend on food, clothing and medical care
combined," said Hodge. In 2004,
Americans will work 65 days to afford their federal taxes and 36 more days to
afford state and local taxes. Other categories of spending that require many
days of labor to afford are housing and household operation (66 days), health
and medical care (51 days), food (31 days), transportation (31 days),
recreation (22 days), clothing and accessories (14 days), saving (5 days) and
all other (44 days).
*******
CONGRATULATIONS
NEW
BRITAIN CITIZENS PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
ON CELEBRATING YOUR 75TH
YEAR
I had the pleasure of participating in CPOA’s
celebration last week. I presented to
Ann Mikulak, President, a
Proclamation from FCTO and a Pen in recognition of their devotion to promoting
a Government Of, For and By the citizens of New Britain. The Proclamation follows.
PROCLAMATION for the Citizens Property Owners Association of New Britain
WHEREAS, The Citizens Property Owners Association,
Inc. (C.P.OA.) will celebrate its 75th anniversary on October 3, 2004, and is
considered the oldest non-partisan taxpayer organization in the State of
Connecticut, and
WHEREAS, the Citizens Property
Owners Association, Inc. was first organized in 1924 by local property owners
and businesses and was incorporated in 1929 with the Secretary of the State;
and
WHEREAS, the Citizens Property Owners
Association, Inc. (C.P.OA.) is considered the oldest non-partisan taxpayer
organization in the State, and
WHEREAS, the Citizens Property Owners Association,
Inc. has continued to steadfastly represent the interests of The Federation of
Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc. through its commitment to promoting
and strengthening the ideals of our country’s founding fathers, which are A
GOVERNMENT OF, FOR AND BY THE PEOPLE,
and
WHEREAS, the Citizens Property
Owners Association, Inc. (C.P.OA.) promotes fiscal austerity in government
thereby constraining the tax burden on local and state taxpayers while
promoting a solid system of checks and balances with the intent of
protecting taxpayers from unnecessary taxation
and government mismanagement or corruption.
NOW, THEREFORE, As President of
The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc. extend our
congratulations and appreciation to Ann Mikulak,
President of C.P.O.A., all its officers and directors, all of its members and
those who work to support the interests of The Citizens Property Owners
Association, Inc. (C.P.OA.) on this day of celebration of 75 years in service
to the community of New Britain, the State of Connecticut, and The Federation
of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations, Inc.
Signed by: Susan Kniep,
President, Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer
Organizations, Inc.