Letter: Consumers don’t often know about business taxes

Friday, Aug. 1, 2003 | 9:17 a.m.

Don Eggleston's letter published in the July 28 edition of the Las Vegas Sun about business taxes makes sense except for the first and last sentences.

In the first sentence, he states that it is a myth that businesses do not pay taxes. He then goes on to explain in detail how it is the consumer who pays the taxes. Mr. Eggleston states that only the people who do business with the taxed business have to pay the taxes. True, but I would like to see a list of the untaxed businesses with which I can choose to do business. Which companies can I purchase goods or services from that pay no taxes?

Mr. Eggelston's last sentence asks, "What is unfair about that?" The fairness issue comes to the fore because business taxes are a nefarious avenue for the tax-and-spenders to hide the taxes that we pay. When you purchase something for $1,000, you know how much sales tax you pay; but do you know how much payroll, property, FICA, income, excise, etc. taxes you pay? Not likely.

I do not object to paying my way, but we need to put all the taxes on the bottom line so we know what we are paying and can then make informed votes at election time. Mr. Eggleston is correct: Businesses collect the taxes -- customers pay the taxes. Whether they know it or not.

F. JAY HARRELL