Income tax in disguise

Oh, come on, Shawn Vestal! A capital-gains tax is no more than a thinly disguised income tax. It would mean a whole new department staffed with government union personnel that we, the taxpayers, would have to pay for 70 years – counting annual wage increases, benefits, and unfunded pensions and unfunded health care costs – a burden that would break many of us.

The largest entity buying and selling stocks and collecting capital gains in Washington is PERS 1, a state pension fund. Are they going to pay the same percentage of taxes planned for the taxpayers, or will the unions get a free ride again? Are the taxpayers the only ones who are going to get hammered, again?

Some dunderhead has forgotten that many retirees depend on stocks and bonds in their 401(k)s and Roth IRAs to finance their retirements.

What don’t you understand about the well is dry? The wallet is empty! Government unions must pay their fair share, which they are now not doing.

This whole scheme is nothing more than an attempt to get the camel’s nose in the tent this year so the Democrats can hit us with a full-blown income tax next year.

Margaret Jones

Medical Lake