How freaking exciting! The new division of the Department of Revenue set up to administer the record state tax surplus has just mailed out our tax rebate forms!
The Family Scoop couldn’t be more excited! We almost don’t know what to do with ourselves this weekend, except to sit around and count the ways we love our benevolent Governor Brian Schweitzer. (Mr. Goggles has been staking out the mailbox since dawn.)
I really mean it. Have you thought to yourself how lucky we are as Montanans to have such an advocate of lean government and tax freedom in our statehouse?
So starting today, the Scoop is issuing a challenge to all Montana citizens to help us properly reflect on this historic moment.
We ask our frequent readers*, fellow bloggers, and all interested citizens to reflect on three simple questions:
1.How much of the state surplus, per person, was not refunded?
2.How much has state government grown, by percentage, over the two budgets presented and approved by the Schweitzer administration?
3.What is your favorite tax-payer friendly part of the program? (I’m torn between the fact that I don’t get a refund for the property I own with my out-of-state siblings OR that I get to pay taxes on the refund I do get.)
Plus a BONUS QUESTION: How will you spend your refund?
Answer any or all. If you don’t know the answer, but want to guess, jump in and give us your best. It’s kind of like one of those “how many jelly beans” are in the jar contest.
Also, if you don’t feel comfortable posting to a blog, please feel free to e-mail your thoughts, guesses and juicy tidbits to sccopmontana@gmail.com.
And as always with the Scoop, there are prizes and awards for the best answers.
*the web counter says there are at least five of you, outside of my mother.
5 comments:
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Ok, so I’ll get my own challenge started.
From where the press last left off, the surplus was $1 billion, with the tax rebate portion being $100 million, or a paltry one-tenth of the surplus.
If $400 reflects what one-tenth is, wouldn’t it be safe to say that government’s nine-tenths of the rebate was $3600 per taxpayer.
So, for every $400 check we get, the government gets a $3600 check in our name!
That also pencils out to $1000 per man, women and child in the state of Montana, assuming we have grown a tad since the last census.
Holy crap! I can’t believe more than 50% of Montanans believe this is a fair, or square, deal.
I wonder what the polling would show if people knew that their $400 was a paltry one-tenth.
I say we tell ‘em and find out. I’ll even pitch in to pay for the poll!
I have currently have $400, minus taxes, to contribute.
Well I had no idea that you have to pay taxes on the rebate you receive. Let me get this straight...the state sends you a refund form, you send it back in, they send you the rebate and you get to pay taxes on it. Why in the world wouldn't they take out the taxes before issuing the refund ? These numerous steps take state employee time to record the information which is costing the tax payer money. It's all very convoluted. I don't think they really want me to have my refund..ha HA you've guessed it !!
Anonymous:
You are not alone. Many people think the program is a automatic refund and not a rebate you need to apply for.
The word on the street is that the Department of Revenue has 40-50 people earmarked to administer the rebate program. Not sure if that is new, existing or transfer employees. But, a job program none-the-less.
Scoop
I had an e-mail submission that helped clear up the question about how much a typical $400 check will be taxed. The average state tax payout will be $24, with the federal tab coming to $68. So, your $400 rebate just shrunk to $308.
The data comes from a great website set up to clearly communicate the rebate program (obviously not set up by the Governor’s Office). Check it out at www.montanataxrebate.com
Better hold off on the big screen LCD…
Scoop
My one time $400 (after taxes $308)rebate will go to pay part of the 100 million dollars in property tax assessments that the should have been permanently eliminated during the last session, but of course Gov. BS bought off enough liberal legislators to insure that couldn't happen... One other thing, no one likes mail in rebates, I refuse to buy anything with that gimmick attached. And I have not bought into this Governors’ corrupt and dishonest treatment of Montana's...
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