Income Tax For Federal Employees

[antagon]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

 

[kyzr]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

I'm against any agency that has "defined benefit" pension benefits. IMHO EVERYONE should be in SS & Medicare (including congress & the prez) with other benefits such as salary, medical coverages, 401k, and/or stock options as the sweeteners. I also believe that the Feds need to limit CEO and corporate compensation.

I disagree with your attempt at exempting anyone from taxes, especially government employees. I'd also go after off-shore tax evaders. Its time to get everyone in the boat, or prohibit them from doing business in the most lucrative markets.

If you want to save Federal money, eliminate Fannie/Freddie/the Fed/HHH/HUD, etc. Look at which agencies wasted the most money over time, then save billions, not millions.

 

[antagon]

why spend tax dollars collecting accounting for and matching federal tax contributions for federal employees?

is eliminating agencies arbitrarily a more sound solution than eliminating this sort of bureaucratic redundancy? i think it's ridiculous that IRS staffers pay income tax.

 

[GHook93]

So give another incentive for Americans best and brigthest joining the government, which doesn't grow an economy it only shrinks one.

Better plan repeal the 16th amendment altogether, replace small business killing payroll tax, the income tax, the corporate tax, capital gains tax with the Fair Tax!

Outlaw federal, state and local government pension plans. None of these plans are close to self-funded. In fact they are the one of the largest burdens on EVERY STATE in the Union!

 

[antagon]

i agree with both of your pension concepts.

i would couple the reduction in tax burden with a commensurate reduction in funding, like the OP said. in turn this would likely result in a reduction of salaries. this could account for the qualitative benefit of having a low, but tax-free income, either with pull for hiring staff or more likely with even lower pay - a departmental decision.

otherwise, public sector growth does constitute economic growth contrary to some popular views, and the fair tax looks stupid up against our current tax system, notwithstanding the immense size difference. I think that wagering solvency on consumption alone is catastrophically inept and passing out fiat on a non-means-tested basis isn't 'fair' or sensible either. i even question if the federal government can apply a tax on intra-state commerce as is proposed.

 

[GHook93]

I just interviews and was offered a job for a government job! On the website the mission statement was to investigate fraud and eliminate waste in City of Chicago. I was very excited by these prospects. Until I found out it was just investigate the hiring, firing, promotion and demotion of city employees. Seriously, you need a $20 million department to govern this? What a waste! On top of that so many city workers were off limits! Ask all the employees why they choose this job! PENSION was right there at the top and job security (hard to get fired). I though I was going to be Serpico, instead I would have been adding to Government Waste and inefficiency!

So what I found:
(1) A government agency that seemed more legit and necessary than most was a huge waste!
(2) Government Pension Plans are an injustice.
(3) The government always wastes and is inefficient in whatever it does.

 

[boedicca]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

 

[rightwinger]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

Federal Employees have been paying into Social Security for 25 years, so has Congress

 

[boedicca]

That isn't all. The ones who were able to enroll in CSRS prior to FERS being put into place are still able to avoid paying SS taxes.

 

[rightwinger]

That isn't all. The ones who were able to enroll in CSRS prior to FERS being put into place are still able to avoid paying SS taxes.

You caught me....I have paid $258 into Social Security

CSRS was around long before Social Security came about. Federal and State Employees were able to keep their pension systems. In 1984, Reagan put Congress and Federal Employees on FERS.

 

[boedicca]

How much in SS benefits to you expect to collect for your $258? Do you receive the statements from SS with your estimated benefits?

 

[GHook93]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

Federal Employees have been paying into Social Security for 25 years, so has Congress

Not all government employees. Teachers for example pay no SS!

Congress? Do your homework, they pay no income (or property) taxes, whether State or Fed!

 

[CrusaderFrank]

If you want to reduce the cost of government, reduce government.

We are STILL funding Depression era programs that have no reason to exist: Fannie, Rural Electrification HUD, etc.

 

[rightwinger]

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

Federal Employees have been paying into Social Security for 25 years, so has Congress

Not all government employees. Teachers for example pay no SS!

Congress? Do your homework, they pay no income (or property) taxes, whether State or Fed!

Can you provide a link that says Congress pays no income or property taxes?

I didn't think you could

 

[GHook93]

I'm against any agency that has "defined benefit" pension benefits.

Only smart thing you ever said. They sound great in theory but they don't work because funding always becomes a problem.

IMHO EVERYONE should be in SS & Medicare (including congress & the prez) with other

By medicare you mean socialize healthcare. I used to be for it, but the more I see how the government runs things the more I side against socialized healthcare.

I also believe that the Feds need to limit CEO and corporate compensation.

There you go. I knew the communist would come creeping out of ya! Why not just get rid of CEOs altogether? Heck get rid of the Board of Directors, they make too much? After that middle managment makes too much! Just have workers! How does that sound comrade?

look at which agencies wasted the most money over time, then save billions, not millions.

LOL, the answer to that question would be all of them!

 

[rightwinger]

How much in SS benefits to you expect to collect for your $258? Do you receive the statements from SS with your estimated benefits?

$0

They can keep the $258

 

[theDoctorisIn]

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

Federal Employees have been paying into Social Security for 25 years, so has Congress

Not all government employees. Teachers for example pay no SS!

Congress? Do your homework, they pay no income (or property) taxes, whether State or Fed!

This is completely untrue. Congress certainly does pay all the same taxes you do. They even pay into SS.

 

[antagon]

It figures that if fed jobs were tax exempt and the government reduced the budgets of said agencies by their current tax liability, that there would be bureaucracy savings in the hundreds of millions year on year, and the greatest act of fiscal conservatism in American history. Federal employees will be paid less as a result, but the qualitative benefit of a tax-free income would compensate employees to a greater degree than the cash alone.

Thoughts?

No. It would be better tor get rid of their pensions and have them pay SS and use 401Ks like the rest of us. And get rid of unions with the premium pay that is then funneled into union dues and cycled through the Democrat campaign machine. Also, pay should be frozen (and at higher levels reduced) until the differential with the private sector is corrected.

personally, i think the idea of unionized government employees is ridiculous, too, among a bunch of stuff the public sector does, however, are your suggestions mutually exclusive to eliminating the redundancy of tax-funded income tax?

People who work for the government are citizens like the rest of us and should not be exempt from paying for their share of the government.

theyre kind like the rest of us, except they get paid in tax revenues, so it makes more sense to pay them less and not bother deducting the tax... even if that stirs some jealousy among americans who prefer to see the feds do things ass-backwards with the largess.