sas@leadsv.UUCP (Scott Stewart) (06/27/85)
What I don't understand is how is the whole argument that by eleminating the State Income Tax deduction, the Federal Government is violating the State's Rights. The United States is supposed to be a Federal System, by which I thought it meant that States can make up their own laws and the Federal Government makes up it own laws. By State's Rights, each state is free to make up any law or practice any policies that do not conflict with Federal laws and policies, which have been decided on by a majority of the States (through Congress or the Constitution). Now if the Feds say that an individual can't deduct his State Taxes, how is the Federal Government violating States Rights. The States are still free to tax their population anyway they like. The real problem seams to be that with the deduction removed, each State has to become more accountable for their tax rates. Most do not want this, because then all the cry about waste in government that is concentrated on the Federal level will shift to the States and then they have to start answering questions many don't want too. Personally, I feel that the elimination of the deduction is fair. The only way you could get the deduction before was to itemize, but you had to own a house (paying interest on a loan) or have extremely high State tax and/or Medical bills to meet the amount needed. Even being married and living in California, I've never been able to itemize and don't see how I can until I do own a house (Medical Plan at work covers all medical expenses). I feel people just want to save as much money as possible and use any argument that seems to justify their position, wether the argument is valid (like the one above.) Scott A. Stewart LMSC