There’s nothing free about Tax Freedom Day
PAYING TO BE FREE: What’s called “Tax Freedom Day” is coming three days later this year.
By Rob Nikolewski │ New Mexico Watchdog
SANTA FE, N.M. — Hey, New Mexico, it’s time to celebrate Tax Freedom Day 2014.
Well, maybe “celebrate” isn’t the right word.
But Tuesday — April 8 — marks the day residents of the Land of Enchantment have worked long enough to pay their tax obligations on the federal, state and local levels.
The day is calculated by the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that aims to “educate taxpayers about sound tax policy and the size of the tax burden borne by Americans at all levels of government.”
Every year, the Tax Foundation calculates how deep into the calendar it takes for residents of the 50 states, as well as American citizens in general, to shake off their tax burdens.
The bad news for New Mexico? This year’s Tax Freedom Day comes five days later than last year.
The good news? New Mexico beat out 43 other states with Tax Freedom Days that go even deeper into the calendar — such as California, whose residents don’t clear themselves of their tax loads until April 30.
Monday, the University of Connecticut Huskies won the men’s NCAA basketeball title, but Connecticut is No. 1 in something else: It tied New Jersey for the top spot in the Tax Freedom Day calendar. The residents in those two states have to pay until May 9.
Here’s the foundation’s map of the U.S.:
Overall, the country’s Tax Freedom Day falls three days later than it did last year, indicating a heavier tax burden for Americans.
With all that in mind, let’s celebrate New Mexico’s Tax Freedom Day with a couple notable quotations:
“A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
“The government who robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
Contact Rob Nikolewski at rnikolewski@watchdog.org and follow him on Twitter @robnikolewski
