[net.taxes] Mike Esco's reply to Mr. Kalmadge

esco@ssc-vax.UUCP (Michael Esco) (02/23/85)

Mr. Kalmadge has made a comment I feel is worthy of a reply. I tried to do
so via mail, but it bounced. I am therefore posting this. My apologies to
those who dislike reading other peoples' mail.
						Michael Esco
						Boeing Aerospace

>> There is no such thing as a marriage penalty. The penalty is against single
>> people, and has been for as long as I've been paying taxes.
>> 						Michael Esco
>> 						Boeing Aerospace
>
>Obviously Mr. Esco is suffering from the delusion that two
>(and their dependents) can live as cheaply as one.
>I suspect that his opinion will change some day, unless he is
>a confirmed bachelor.
>I must take his contribution to the net as seriously as I take
>the Schedule W to be a solution to the problem.
>Jim Kalmadge -  AT&T Bell Labs IH 4b409

To: uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxw!kalm
Subject: Re: Marriage penalty and Michael Esco
In-reply-to: your article <1061@ihuxw.UUCP>

Two may not live as cheaply as one... but nowhere near as expensive as two
singles. Maintaining a household is the major expense and doesn't vary
strongly according to the number of occupants. Unless you eat out
most of the time, food isn't much more and may even be less with two.

Every working couple I've known as singles has had a significant increase in
their standard of living when they got married. Even though I may make as much
as the higher paid of the two, I can't afford the houses, cars, and vacations
I see them taking and have little pity when they complain about how their
taxes went up.
						Michael Esco
						Boeing Aerospace