Tax the rich who spend uninhibited

George P. Dix, Las Vegas

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.

President Barack Obama considers those making $1 million per year the rich who need to be taxed. There are: 1. the helpful rich who build businesses and hire people, and 2. those who opulently spend their money to look like big shots and extol their pleasure.

The Italians have figured out how to tax the latter who spend their money like water to selfishly help only themselves. The Italian police are stopping very expensive automobiles in Italy. They get owners’ names and turn them over to the tax department. It is a great approach. The United States should tax the purchase of and apply a yearly use tax to the following items owned by individuals:

• All automobiles costing more than $75,000.

• All homes costing more than $2.5 million.

• All boats worth more than $500,000.

• All private airplanes costing more than $750,000.

This would include corporate taxing of the same items being used for pleasure or opulent accommodations.

This would tax those who abuse their money and U.S. taxation. Why should some guy have two Bentleys, a 50-room house with 25 baths and a 10-passenger jet for his pleasure and not be taxed on them?

The real problem is defining the rich. Originally, they were all Americans making more than $250,000 per year. Now they are all Americans making more than $1 million per year. We really need to tax those who lavish their money on their selfish pleasure to the detriment of other Americans.