Some have compared a democracy to a fishing co-op. Whatever we catch, we split up. If the catch is good, the bounty to all. If the catch is sparse, then a light load to all. It is sort of like that Discovery Channel show with the “Most Dangerous Catch” of Alaskan King Crab in the Bering Sea. The salty old sea dog captain would encourage his greenhorns and experienced hands to find the best spot. If the catch was good, they would be in great spirits with much laughter. As the catch was spotty and the cages empty, the mood is angry or sullen. The difference, however, was that everyone worked hard and could contribute to the catch.
Yet it isn’t that way with taxes. Those who make more, pay more. Those who make less, pay less. Here in the CNMI we pay less for our NMTIT rate. For some folks on the mainland it is a more painful experience. Uncle Sam takes over 30 percent, depending on your income. Tax rebate? Forget about it. Tax refund? Maybe.
Then the state comes in and takes its share. Some states charge more than others and more based on your income.
As you open up that wallet or write that check at 10 p.m. on April 15th, before going to the Post Office, you wonder what happens to your money. You earned it and now you are asked to pay your “fair share” for government and its services. Mention the word “tax” to anyone on Capital Hill and they hear a death blow to re-election. “We have to take a look,” our “Rep.” would say (code for “Hell no!”). “With a $137 million, we are working on revenue enhancement,” comes from DOF, sort of like “destination enhancement.” I can only imagine the destination here. A 3.5 percent User Fee raised howls of despair from those now-gone garment factories.
That is not being “business friendly.”
So what do we pay for anyway? What do we get from our “Uncle?” We can’t really say that we get good power because our tax money doesn’t go to CUC. Or does it? For our taxes, we are supposed to have good schools.
We are supposed to have a good hospital. Our roads should be good. We should have good public servants. The government is supposed to hire the most qualified to do the job. The “spoils” of the election need only go to the cabinet appointees. Civil Service competition gets us the best workers right? Uh-huh. I have a bridge to Tinian I’d like to sell you.
Of course, those who lollygag on the fishing boat get tossed out. They take nothing. If they don’t pull their weight and contribute hard work, no sharing. Ask that of any retiree who has picked up a job in private industry here. “Jesus Maria, Brot! No time for pichi pichi. Todo yu sunburn!” Juan would say as he shares with Jose when they pick up their NMIRF checks. YouTube or Solitaire? Hit the road pal. MySpace and Facebook during private business time? Take the one way street out the door to Beach Road and don’t turn back. In Boston they had a Tea Party, screaming “No taxation without representation!” What about here? What would our “Saipan Cha Party” be, “No taxation without productivity?” “No revenue without results!” Can we insist on performance like PSS with its Highly Qualified Teachers? “No work, no pay,” some would say. We’ll march to the Division of Revenue & Taxation and remind that for the revenue from our taxation, we would like more bang for our buck.
Please ha? And if it isn’t enough, then tell the worker at the window, “Ok, but show me what you’ve done, and I’ll show you the money.” Excuse me while I go and attend to my 1040 CM.
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