Do Politicians Lie about Taxes? | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Do Politicians Lie about Taxes?

    The simple answer is YES!!!

    Here is the story in NC where we are being constantly told "Conservatives are saving taxpayers money and lowering taxes." Each of them should carefully get a weather forecast and avoid such lies if thunderclouds are present . . . Lightening can strike liars . . .

    Here is the NC tax story from yesterday in Raleigh:

    I attended the previous day's meeting in Greenville. It --- like the 4/15 meeting --- allowed individual taxpayers to share their story of how NC taxation has played out for us. From College student to widower to disabled man in a wheelchair, all the stories were the same: They paid way more taxes than the previous year.

    Now if you are rich or a corporation, the savings promised are real and significant. You can deduct the cost of a private jet and other major equipment. As a small businessman, I had a $50,000 single credit for any equipment purchased. IT IS GONE LIKE DIX HILL!!!

    NC has become less and less friendly to small business. We have far too much legislation directed at forcing small businesses who hire Independent Contractors to have Workman's Compensation on them. Here is my story:

    The simplest way to hire employees is as Independent Contractors. The IRS requires any worker making more than $500 with your company to be issued a 1099 form reporting such. It is then the responsibility of the worker to pay his taxes. There are no withholding issues and the owner can issue the form easily. I was hired in this fashion by each Insurance Company I represented. All of them are going this way for simplicity and lack of liability.

    It seemed simple enough to hire my new Tree Company workers in the same way. They provide their own gloves and tools to help remove tree debris and feed the chipper. It is especially appropriate with a climber who works for several contractors and has his own equipment --- until he gets hurt by his own stupidity. The Contract clearly states "responsible for your own health and safety." My man certified he was under his wife's health insurance. The reality was he cheated on her and she kicked him out of the house. He did not report such to me!

    He was descending a 50' pine pole below the limb level so his safety rope was put in a downward sloping slot. Any climber or commons sense person would move to the opposite side of the tree from the notch so it is pulled tight constantly. For some reason only known to a stupid man, my guy came down sideways to his notch and at 30' it popped out of the slot and down he came with some 60# of gear. How dumb can you be!!!

    Then comes the letter from the Lawyer!

    I had carefully documented the scene of the accident to prove the above facts on how it happened. He was broken from the bottom of his right foot to the middle of his back. He had to be airlifted to Greenville and spent about 3 weeks in the hospital and many more in aftercare. The bill ran around $250,000. Had he had the insurance he certified in his contract, it would have been paid quickly. If he had Workman's Comp his first several claims would have been automatically denied / he would have had to hire a lawyer who gets 30% of any payment / lawyers get nice incomes off "billable hours" so they drag any case out to a fair-the-well.

    My retainer was $5,000. It was far less than the high cost of Workman's Comp so I was happy over my small businessman thrift and compliance with contract law in NC. My lawyer immediately set about researching the stats of cases going before the NC Labor Board.

    94% are decided in FAVOR OF THE WORKER!

    That is poor odds. It sounds fishy to me. The reason so many employers lose is the ridiculously complex legal stuff prescribed by the Lawyers representing us in the Legislature---on advice of lawyers who get such cases. You see tons of ads starting "Did you get injured . . ." They offer no cost representation unless you win. The lawyer gets 30% and the client gets a Workman's Comp claim resolved. The cost of Workman's Comp is ridiculously high / the worker pays 30% off any claim paid / NC IS NOT A SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY STATE in rules and regs as well as tax structure now!

    Even those with proper private insurance are conned by lawyers whose ads say, "Unless you hire us, the insurance company will take advantage of you!"

    NOT TRUE . . .

    Insurance is a contract designed to restore anyone injured or any property lost. Insurance Companies all have Lawyers who know their obligations and they want to settle any case without legal fees. Besides---you already have a lawyer with the Insurance Commissioner of NC. A simple call to the 800 number gets a listening ear and then a form you fill out, if wronged. Each state can deny the right to do business to any insurance carrier. You can buy a policy, but it will have "NOT APPROVED BY THE NC INSURANCE COMMISSIONER" stamped in red ink across its front.

    Lawyers want you to be fearful of the big bad wolf. You have a big bad bear of an Insurance Commissioner in NC. The lawyers just don't tell you such!

    Do Legislators and Lawyers lie??? Technically, "NO," / in reality they tell their story as if it were the absolute truth. Sadly, this is not so with NC taxes of late!!!!