Issue Position: Taxes

Issue Position

As citizens, we need to pay taxes to support essential government functions. Taxes should be fair and reasonable. The monies paid to the government need to be spent and managed wisely and conservatively.

Taxes need to remain low. Tax laws should be clear. Tax laws are too complicated. Tax forms should be written in language that a non-accountant can understand. The government penalizes people who are trying to comply with the tax laws, but who fail to comply when the law is unclear or because it is too complicated. At the same time, there are those who hide their income and assets and get away with it because there is insufficient enforcement. If the law were clear, simple and easy to follow, individuals and businesses could focus on their lives and their businesses, rather than spending enormous amounts of time and resources complying with or trying to get around tax laws. If laws were clear, simply and easy to follow, the government could instead focus its resources on enforcement. Low taxes and simple to follow tax laws will also give businesses more time and money to grow their businesses, which will create jobs.

We can and should encourage parents and high schools to provide more instruction on economics and civic responsibilities, but that alone will not solve the problem if the average person is unable to understand the law and prepare his or her own tax return.

Virginia tax laws rely on the Internal Revenue Code. The Internal Revenue Code changes every year. The Virginia General Assembly must conform Virginia law to the Internal Revenue Code every time there is a change. Virginia ought to consider declaring its independence from the Internal Revenue Code.

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