Income tax!

Like most of the earning members of the society, the biggest problem with that I have with life is income tax. I mean, why are we supposed to pay it? Well, its a tax you pay for doing well in life! And some other idiot benefits with it, precisely because he is an idiot! If the government taxes you, its OK, but if some gangster does it, its extortion!Well, income tax is extortion at its legal best!

Someone would say that it is needed as the money will be put in infrastructure and development of the nation and God knows what! But what if I don't see any growth? What if the road leading to my house still has just as many pot holes? What if the city I live in is just as crappy as it was last year? What are the other yardsticks of measurement? If someone in the government comes to me and says that, boss, your money was used to make a road in Bihar, or Arunachal or someplace I don't really care about! If you want to make roads in Bihar, get the bloody money from the people in Bihar! I am paying some money here and I expect some service! And what do I get? Some brand new potholes!

Someone would then say its a tax for living in the country. Well, with the traffic and crowds and lawlessness and corruption and such like, I sometimes feel that living in this country is taxing enough. We don't deserve any more taxes! Anyway, jokes apart, only 10-15 % of the populace pay income tax. The others pay other more invisible taxes. I am OK with that. I can do that. Till I don't see it, I don't mind it. And as everyone pays it, it has a democratic touch to it. But Income tax, just explain how that's democratic!

I sometimes have this fantastic idea of what could be done to make it more democratic. I know it cant be implemented, but still... So, here it is. I paid some income tax last year. Along with the taxes I paid, I also gave the government a list of 3 things that I wanted to be done with my money. You know, for example, clearing up potholes in my area, curing polio and ending child labor. Then I wait one year. After one year, I check that out of the list, what has been done, and how well. I mean, its just unfair to ask the government to end child labor in an year, but if its at least made an effort and freed, let's say, about ten children. That should be fine! I then know that my money has really made an impact! However, say, that it is the only task to have been completed. I mention this information in my current year's tax forms and send a scathing letter to the FM, demanding an explanation of their incompetency and just pay 1/3rd of the taxes that I have to this year! That would be some accountability, now, wouldn't it! And it is democratic!

But unfortunately, it cannot be done, because most of the country's citizens would just take advantage of the system. Because the only honest people in this country are those really unfortunate people like us, who just do not get any opportunity to be dishonest! But that would be another rant.... sometime later!