Federal Taxes

Have you ever worked for a company that one day suddenly went bankrupt? I have written several columns about cities and companies that have filed for bankruptcy protection, but not until recently had I worked for a company that filed for bankruptcy. It is an interesting experience. TW & Company was a government contractor that provided security services for 22 contracts in the country and had a workforce of 617 employees. One of the most significant assignments of this contractor was the responsibility to dispose of the White House's records.

Harold "Buck" Macht of Hagerstown took this photo of his tax helpers, Katie, left, and Cody, right, while doing his 2009 Federal Taxes. The sister and brother duo are about 10 months old and obviously thought the work was too taxing. He took this photo with a Canon Power Shot SD1100 digital camera. Sunday Lifestyle will feature a readers' photo in this spot. With the photo, tell us your name, a daytime phone number and a brief description of the story behind the photo. Send photographs to The Herald-Mail Co., c/o Lifestyle, P.O. Box 439, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

A new study of America's state income tax rates released this week concludes that West Virginia taxes its working poor too heavily. Maybe so, but without knowing what effect eliminating such taxes would have on the state, it's tough to say whether cutting them would be possible. Officials of the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities say that West Virginia is taxing a family of four when their income reaches $10,000 a year, a practice the federal government stopped 11 years ago. Though the official poverty level income for a family of three is $12,511 a year and they pay no federal taxes, West Virginia's state income tax takes $197 a year from that family.

“The price of gas is determined by the price of a barrel of oil in the Middle East. The OPEC nations met in December 2010 and decided there would be no increase in the output of oil. They decided that $100-plus would be a fair price for a barrel. Now, according to Libya’s senior officials, with the unrest in the Middle East, OPEC gives the U.S. the finger. Only way prices can reduce is if the states lower the tax per gallon ... looking at a 10-cent-per-gallon increase.” — Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

Editor's note: Each week, The Herald-Mail invites readers to answer poll questions on its Web site, www.herald-mail.com . Readers also may submit comments about the poll question when voting. Each Sunday, a sampling of edited reader comments will appear in The Herald-Mail. Last week's poll question was: What is your opinion of the $150 tax rebate recently sent by the Washington County Commissioners to county property owners - wasted money mailing it, still got a higher tax bill, trying to buy my vote, all of the above or loved it?

"Now all those people trying to avoid the real issue of child safety, you are going to bring up car tags and where they are from. The other day, I saw tags from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, D.C. Who cares where they have their cars registered? Worry about where these children are coming from and overcrowding the schools. " "If anyone can use any National Geographics, put your number in the paper and I will call you. " "Last week, I drove by Pangborn Park and it looks really nice.

ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- A panel of Maryland lawmakers struggled Monday in search of compromise in budget legislation approved by the House and Senate, meeting for a little more than an hour before breaking up until more progress could be made on some of the major differences. The joint House and Senate conference committee met to discuss a budget reconciliation measure, which is a companion bill to the legislation containing the state's $13.8 billion operating budget. Some of the major sticking points include how to cut aid to local governments, spending reductions in higher education and how to free up money for the state's operating budget through Program Open Space, which uses part of the state's real estate transfer tax to buy public land.

The Tri-State area may have two "pork kings" on Capitol Hill, but the area still lagged behind the national average in federal spending last year. Uncle Sam gave $2.5 billion to the area's seven counties in 1997. That's equal to $4,406 per person - lower than the national average of $5,323 per person - according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. --cont. from front page-- The report shows how much every county in the nation received from the federal government.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans will oppose any effort to renew soon-to-expire Bush administration tax cuts if upper income taxpayers are excluded from the reductions. A spokesman for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose President Barack Obama's tax-cutting plan. Obama would renew the tax cuts for most people, but let the top income tax rate rise back to almost 40 percent on family or small business income over $250,000.

Have you ever worked for a company that one day suddenly went bankrupt? I have written several columns about cities and companies that have filed for bankruptcy protection, but not until recently had I worked for a company that filed for bankruptcy. It is an interesting experience. TW & Company was a government contractor that provided security services for 22 contracts in the country and had a workforce of 617 employees. One of the most significant assignments of this contractor was the responsibility to dispose of the White House's records.

Federal tax credits are being sought to build 40 rental units in Waynesboro and renovate existing apartments in the Mount Vernon Terrace complex. The Franklin County (Pa.) Housing Authority this week asked the Waynesboro Borough Council for a letter of support as it submits an application to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. If approved for credits, the housing authority would try to sell the credits to local banks and use the equity for construction, renovation and related costs.

This year's income tax filing season is two days longer than usual, but some taxpayers still might feel overwhelmed, an IRS spokeswoman said this week. As a result of Washington, D.C.'s observance of Emancipation Day on April 16, the deadline for filing state and federal income tax returns is Tuesday, April 17. By law, D.C. holidays affect IRS tax deadlines.  IRS spokeswoman Peggy Riley said there are few tax law changes this year, which hopefully will result in a smooth tax season.

“To the Pleasant Valley caller: I am sorry you received such an unpleasant response to your question regarding local activities. In fact, you'll find a reading club both in Pleasant Valley and at Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro. A call to the helpful staff at Turn the Page will provide you with the Pleasant Valley contact. In addition, you'll meet friendly people in the local Body & Soul exercise classes. Master gardeners abound in this area; you can get connected with them by calling the Washington County Agricultural Center.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans will oppose any effort to renew soon-to-expire Bush administration tax cuts if upper income taxpayers are excluded from the reductions. A spokesman for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that every Senate Republican has pledged to oppose President Barack Obama's tax-cutting plan. Obama would renew the tax cuts for most people, but let the top income tax rate rise back to almost 40 percent on family or small business income over $250,000.

Harold "Buck" Macht of Hagerstown took this photo of his tax helpers, Katie, left, and Cody, right, while doing his 2009 Federal Taxes. The sister and brother duo are about 10 months old and obviously thought the work was too taxing. He took this photo with a Canon Power Shot SD1100 digital camera. Sunday Lifestyle will feature a readers' photo in this spot. With the photo, tell us your name, a daytime phone number and a brief description of the story behind the photo. Send photographs to The Herald-Mail Co., c/o Lifestyle, P.O. Box 439, Hagerstown, MD 21741.

ANNAPOLIS (AP) -- A panel of Maryland lawmakers struggled Monday in search of compromise in budget legislation approved by the House and Senate, meeting for a little more than an hour before breaking up until more progress could be made on some of the major differences. The joint House and Senate conference committee met to discuss a budget reconciliation measure, which is a companion bill to the legislation containing the state's $13.8 billion operating budget. Some of the major sticking points include how to cut aid to local governments, spending reductions in higher education and how to free up money for the state's operating budget through Program Open Space, which uses part of the state's real estate transfer tax to buy public land.

I want to know how people can support the Democratic Party, especially when they are always backed by unions. Unions don't work for the people. My dad has worked all his life and is now retired, only to find out that they're thinking about dropping his prescription drug program. Yeah, they're really for the people. Look at big government companies. They go for the Democrat ticket. -- Hagerstown With the current financial crisis we have now and Congress looking at ways to fix it, one way to fix it that I can't believe they've never thought about is bringing back the debt interest tax reduction.