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Viewpoints
Our Opinions
U.S. should be prepared for a
hardliner take-over in Russia
Almost every indicator within Russia warns of a hardliner takeover two
years from now, or sooner. The government of Boris Yeltsin has been
unable to end soaring inflation, which has priced food beyond the means of
millions.
To expect the average citizen to accept this-in the name of democracy
is expecting too much. What is of more concern to the West than a new
government in Russia is the threat from hardliners to again seek control erf
former satellite nations.
Therein lies the threat of military confrontation; for this reason, it's
imperative the United States maintain its military capabilities at a high
level.
Washington may be confronted with the dangerous question of what to
do about renewed Russian expansion in the future—unless living conditions
inside Russia show quick improvement
In many cases these days,
lawyers are the only winners
Legislatures in some states have moved to limit lawyer's fees—the idea
being they shouldn't consume all the money, or most of it, in jury and
negotiated awards.
While most Americans believe in minimum government regulation,
lawyers' fees in some cases have been transparently unreasonable, even
legal stealing. The answer to the predicament is complicated. They're too
many lawyers, so many seek to create court cases-whether legitimate or
not Others jack up fees.
Big firms dealing with big corporations can charge about what they
like. Often legal fees eat up a large part of settlements.
In a recent Missouri case, Sprint agreed to pay S2B million to
stockholders for (unadmitted) harmful practices affecting stock prices. New
York lawyers fees totaled about $lO million! The average stockholder, it’s
estimated, will receive Si 1.
Lawyers and law firms feeding on such cases often reap a reward that
could mean early retirement for some, fat earnings for entire firms. In
many cases these days, lawyers are the only big winners.
Today’s scene of lawyers (and doctors) could eventually produce a
reaction strong enough to bring about some mandatory limits on fees.
Whether this happens in the future, probably depends on the conduct of
lawyers and doctors in the years ahead.
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Editor
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M
Perry, GA, 31069
Houston Times-Journal
P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069
Phone: (912) 987-1823
Member Georgia Press Association- National Newspaper Association
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President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary
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One of the two things guaranteed in this life-taxes
THE DREADED day has come
and gone. April IS, the day that
puts dread into the hearts of most
Americans.
It used to be March 15. the
infamous ideas of March, which
Shakespeare warned us to beware.
But a kindly (?) congress sometime
ago decided to give us an extra
month to fret over our income taxes
and make the final payment
In return, of course, the same
congress tacked on higher rates and
less deductions so that we could get
by on less while our inefficient,
wasteful government could get by
one more...plus, of course,
hundreds of billions more that
would be borrowed, putting all of
us deeper and deeper in debt
No fools, those congressmen.
Don't you get elected by raising
taxes on the wealthy (as they
explain it) and borrow more to
spend on the hopeless fools who
keep sending you to Washington?
Of course, you do.
History proves it
* * *
ACTUALLY, what they are doing
in Washington is done with
mirrors. And, of course, lies, lies,
lies.
For example, the claim repeated
over and over the past year that the
largest tax increase in history
affected only two percent of
taxpayers. What a lie!
Of course, it affected just about
every taxpayer in the country.
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Your Opinion
Protecting our environment
Dear Editor:
This week is a time set aside each year in the United States to recognize
our responsibilities as stewards of our natural resources. It is "Soil and
Water Stewardship Week." For many of us, we grew up thinking it was
the responsibility of the farmer to practice stewardship of our natural
resources. In recent years it has become obvious that it is now the
responsibility of all citizens, farm and non-farm, to protect our earch and
working together we can do much to assur our children and our
grandchildren that they, too, will be able to live in "America The
Beautiful."
What are some of the things we can do to protect our environment? We
can recycle newspapers and aluminum cans. We can let grass clippings
fall back on our lawns when we cut the grass. We can clean out the trash
we tend to collect under our carports. We can use our water resources more
carefully. We can plant a tree or two in the yard. We can work with our
friends and neighbors to keep our neighborhoods litter free. And we can
thank God periodically that he has blessed us so abundantly.
Sincerely,
Jim Worrall, Mayor
AARP thanks staff for service
Dear Editor:
This year, as in the past 19 years, the Perry Georgia Chapter of the
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) sponsored the Tax
Assistance program in Perry. The Tax Counseling services provided by
volunteers (certified by the IRS) are free to the elderly and to those
persons/families in the low-to-modcrate income range in Perry and
surrounding communities.
At the beginning of the income tax season both the Perry Times and
Houston Home Journal participated in publicizing our program. The
publicity included articles and inserts in "Local Calendar of Events an<s
Houston Times-Journal
Some more than others. But to say
98 percent of taxpayers were
unaffected takes a lot of gall, which
is abundant in Washinton, too.
For many there was the move into
a higher tax bracket. For some
there was elimination or reduction
of deductions that have existed for
years. For eveyrone there were
hidden taxes. On gasoline, for
example. And on many other
products before we see the. And
there were many, many fees.
Nobody escaped the opportunity to
make these "investments", as they
were described by our president
* * *
MILLIONS of taxpayers received
refunds when they filed their
income tax returns this year. They
were thrilled. This, of course,
makes them feel good and our
representatives in Washington
smile broadly. These people forget
that any money they get back is
money taken from their pay
throughout the year.
The president and members of
congress would not have the guts to
discontinue withholding and
estimating income taxes. Not
because the money is needed all
year long. But because there would
be a massive taxpayer revolt when
people learned how much they are
paying if they had to do it all in a
lump sum on April 15.
Taxpayers who have to make a
final payment each April 15 growl
and blame the IRS. Many people
■ Wednesday, Apr! 27,1994" H0u5t0n Times-Journal
Page 4A
send nasty notes along with their
taxes. They really give the IRS a
fit. Of course, these people are
ignorant. The villains are the men
and women these same taxpayers
elected and sent to Washington to
represent them.
Even members of congress join in
the tirade against the IRS at tax
paying lime. It's great to have
someone else to blame for your
misdeeds. They're no dummies.
Just like they come home and run
for reelection against the villainous
Washington establishment when in
reality they are the Washington
establishment.
That’s how the game is played.
And it works.
* * *
ONLY A few days after the
passing of infamous April 15 Rep.
Dan Rostenkowski, who has the
job of shepherding President
Clinton's health care plan through
congress, has said that it will call
for massive new taxes. He didn't
even call it an "investment."
By the time you add income taxes
to taxes paid by business to taxes
paid on products while they are in
the pipeline to state income taxes
and excise taxes to taxes and fees
paid on so many products far less
than half the money we earn is
available to buy services and
products.
What can be done? Maybe
nothing. Maybe it will get worse.
Senators Nunn and Domenici have
similar columns . During the season a merger of the two newspapers
occurred which included the utilization of some of the employees of both
newspapers. Some of these individuals along with the Editors had and
continued to contribute in some way the publicity needed to keep the
public informed about our program. It is to these individuals as well as
YOU CWSPaPCr 3S 3 Wh °' C 1 S3y ' n behalf of thc local chapter THANK
A special thanks to Brenda Thompson who thought about our program
and took time to visit our work site at thc Public Library in order to write
a very timely article. Needless to say without the support to the media,
persons in private and public services, and thc response by the people the
Tax Assistance program would not exist.
During the period of April 6, 1993 through April 15, 1994 348
taxpayers received assistance with their tax returns, this assistance
consisted of counseling and advice, preparation of federal and shite returns,
and helping taxpayers resolve problems with the IRS or thc Georgia
Income Tax Division.
We appreciate this service and want you to know thc response continues
to be favorable. Thc completion of 20 years of tax counseling and
preparation of tax returns is a strong indication that our free tax assistance
has become an acceptable and reliable service to those persons in need of
tax assistance.
Sincerely,
Paul K. LeVan
Tax-Aide Coordinator
Debate tradition in our county
Dear Editor,
As the Debate Coach for Northside High School for nineteen years, and
President of the Georgia Debate Coaches Association for the last nine
l ear l s ’ * " avc a s P cc ' a * interest in the tradition of interscholastic debate in
the Houston County School system. Each year when I attend the Barkley
orum hosted by Emory University (the most prestigious invitational
debate tournament in the United States), I stop to admire a gallery of
placards honoring those schools who have won the Barkley Forum since
Please see LETTERS, page 10A
I
proposed replacing the income tax
with a form of consumer tax. It is
gradually gaining support. Another
proposal that is so simple it makes
sense is a flat tax on income. It
has been reported that a fiat tax of
only 12 percent would raise more
money than the present income tax
system that requires thousand of
pages just to put into a code.
Of course, both of these ideas lack
one ingredient that most
congressmen count on to get
reelected. There would be no way
to claim they are soaking the rich
to help the poor. Class warfare is a
staple of most politicians in
Washington. There would be no
loopholes for friends and financial
supporters. It would be fair and
this certainly would not be
acceptable to thousands of special
interest groups who count on the
tax code to protect and reward them.
♦ * *
SO DON’T expect any relief in
the foreseeable future. Brace for
new and higher taxes...some easy to
recognize, many hidden. Prepare
for a lower standard of living.
The government certainly won't
make any effort to get by on
less...but you will have no choice.