Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

Here it is August already. Christmas is just around the corner and in a few weeks we will start to see local stores putting up tinsel and stuff. November will be a big month with the biggest Presidential vote in our history. But, aside from all the turkey, mashed potatoes and the joys of the holidays there is one thing none of us can escape from in our adult working lives: that we may have a little control over is our taxes we pay every year. I venture to say, there is not one person, not any one person who is working, retired, or getting ready to retire, self employed or otherwise, who does not have their taxes on their mind at some point.

 Every one of us has to turn in a tax return, whether we like it or not, liberal or conservative, we all do. Some of us go to an accountant, do it ourselves, or go to a tax service. None of us want to pay any more than we legally have to. If it is one dollar or one million dollars, we will pay what the law tells us to pay, or we get caught. Those who do their due diligence, according to the tax law, may pay less than someone who chooses to be lazy and not do their homework.

With all the waste of time on Mitt Romney’s tax return, don’t you think a guy who has been as successful as he, would risk it all over taxes? The penalties are huge.  One must understand who wrote the tax code. The politicians did. Charley Wrangle got caught not paying taxes, and he is the man in charge of that committee. So what’s up with that? It is our duty as an American taxpayer to pay exactly what we owe in taxes. Not a penny more, not a penny less. I am not the least worried about how much Mitt Romney paid in taxes, but I am extremely worried how Obama is spending mine.

Gary Duran

Manteca

Aug. 4, 2012