By R. Morris Coats

By the time you read this column, you should be greatly relieved. Another April 15^th has come and gone. However, as long as we continue with an income tax, it probably is a good idea that there is such a deadline, one filled with dread, foreboding and overall stress.

Last year I noted the peculiar temporal juxtaposition of Tax Day, one of the most hated and most feared days of the year, with very Holy days for Christians, Muslims and Jews. While April 15^th is a day for giving unto Caesar, it is most unfortunate that Caesar’s Day must come so close to such Holy days.

Some stress and foreboding at this time, accompanied by an attention to just how much we paid last year in taxes, should at least make us question what we are getting for our tax dollars and should make us think about what we could have done with those tax dollars in our own hands.

I could have bought a very good used car or truck or a great new boat with only one year of taxes, not that that is what I would have spent it on.

Certainly, we all see that there are areas where public spending may be of greater importance than our individual spending. I know that our public dollars spent on Highway 90 are about to be enjoyed (after 20 years of such public spending!).

With a nephew just returning from a hitch with the U.S. Army in Korea who has signed up for the National Guard, I especially want our service men and women to enjoy our full support. With a ground NATO presence in Kosovo looking more likely, dollars spent on advanced weaponry, communications, training and defensive equipment make it less likely that our service people will be harmed and should be dollars well spent.

With a dreaded tax day, there is at least one time a year that we pay attention to just what the federal government is costing us--or should I say, what it is mostly costing us. Part of the taxes we all pay are the higher prices for goods and services we receive from businesses that have passed along some of their taxes to their customers. Corporations, in particular, pass along much of their taxes to their customers because of the simple fact that corporations are not sentient, feeling beings. Corporations cannot bear costs, only people bear costs. Part of the taxes we pay, we do not recognize as taxes.

From time to time, some people look to Europe’s Value-Added Tax (VAT) and see greener grass. The VAT is a type of sales tax, based on the price of the good, but becomes added into the total sales price without a separate line for the tax. With the VAT as with the corporate income tax, the tax lies hidden beneath the surface of prices and of our awareness and we come to discount the cost of government by the amount of which we remain unaware.

At least with personal income we recognize what we pay in taxes, and so, we expect something in return for our tax dollars.

A Personal Note

It is too seldom that we realize how wonderful it is to live in Bayou Country. While there may be a lot wrong with this area, there is also a lot right. People here are friendly and help take care of their neighbors, even the neighbors they do not know.

Recently, I had a chance to think about how nice people are here, shortly after the airbags in my Ford Windstar deployed. Another driver and I attempted to occupy the same space at the same time. The airbags did their job superbly as did my baby’s car seat (I can heartily recommend both). There were no human injuries other than a bruise and a few minor airbag abrasions.

I am very thankful to the other driver who was apologetic and concerned for my well being and that of my child. Also, two of the nicest people anywhere who were also witnesses stopped to render assistance and helped take care of my baby, while I filled out the paperwork. Terrebonne Deputy Sheriff Danny Pitre was flagged down and was also professional, courteous and helpful.

The bottom line here is that accidents can happen anywhere. People this nice, while rare in many places, can be found in abundance in this area.