A Sunday brainstorming session. How could the interent be used to change the way we pay taxes?
I hope the video explains what I picture in my head. Apologies for not writing this out – but it was just a brainstorm and I’d rather capture it in video and move on rather then spend a day writing it out. Let me know what you think.
Andrew Mason says: “We should be able to get itemized receipts of exactly how our tax money is spent”
Shel Israel says: “90 % of Estonians file and pay taxes over the Internet and they seem to find it easy and fair.”
Leena says: “in Finland I can get a new “tax card” from the internet. Besides I get a compensation for my laptop.”
Yeah, I love this thought, how about taking it to this step:
What if citizens could continue giving to certain government programs after the required amount had already maxed out.
THEN, although the extra amounts would still go to a DIFFERENT program (you could rank your preferences), the government would actually increase the budgets for programs that raised surplus funds, by some percentage of the surplus funds raised.
SO, for example:
1. Roads need $100 Billion for 2009.
2. People have to pay their taxes, and in doing so, prefer $250 Billion towards roads.
3. Only $100 Billion goes to roads in 2009, but in 2010 that budget increases by say %10 of $150 Billion, making the 2010 roads budget $115 Billion.
This way, we’d see a steady increase in programs that people care about.
And programs that people DON’T preference well…could congress be required to reevaluate those budgets?
It sounds like you’re creating problems yourself by trying to solve this issue instead of looking at why their is a problem in the first place