Category: Government
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Our broken tax system
This isn’t the type of tax blog post that I normally write. But after decades of writing and over 2,000 tax-related posts, columns and other publications, I sense that our tax system is spinning out of control, pulling our nation into a death spiral. It is time to speak out. Almost three decades ago I…
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Tax fraud case with the highest implications
A high profile multi-million dollar international tax fraud case (Unites States vs. Natalia Veselnitskaya 18 CRIM 904) took a dark turn last week then a sealed indictment by federal prosecutors was revealed to the public. To be clear, this tax fraud case does not involve anyone in U.S. government. Yet this case brought special attention because…
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Five economic forecasts for small business in 2019
A decade ago I probably would have said that there is little value to a small business adviser in attempting macroeconomic and political forecasts. But over this most recent decade I’ve watched shifting macroeconomic conditions wipe out over two million dollars of personal net worth and put one of my businesses into idle for over…
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Support for NJ minimum wage bill
Update: Thanks to all who supported this effort over the last several years. The $15 minimum wage proposal is now law in New Jersey. I took time this morning to write to the nine members of the NJ Assembly Labor Committee plus our own two Assemblymen and a local Chamber of Commerce that opposes the…
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Downe Township government said to merge
Update May 2019: The sources of this report of merger turned out to be inaccurate, at least so far in terms of it’s imminent timing. There are no other known sources of verification of this report. The township leadership continues to work toward sustainability and there are some signs of progress. A recent briefing from…
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Is tax amnesty coming to New Jersey?
Governor Murphy proposed a tax amnesty program in our state of New Jersey. All indications I’ve read indicate that the legislature will eventually authorize it. If you haven’t filed tax returns now is the time to plan a strategy to get ready for this program. I am please to speak with anyone confidentially or even…
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How health care became a human right
When I started in the health benefits advisory business more than 30 years ago (1987) through the predecessor of Freedom Benefits I strongly disagreed that health care was a “right”. My opinion was shared by the majority of Americans. But three things have happened since then and public opinion has shifted: 1) The wealth gap…
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The real obstacle to immigration reform
I was glad to see this ‘middle of the road’ balanced and non-political coverage of immigration reform in USAToday. “With no major reforms since 1986, our federal immigration laws must be updated. To enhance security, boost the economy, and deal fairly with immigrants seeking to build the American dream. For too long, Washington has avoided…
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Two theories of government
“There are two ideas of government. There are those who believe that if you will only legislate to make the well-to-do prosperous their prosperity will leak through on those below. The Democratic idea, however, has been that if you legislate to make the masses prosperous their prosperity will find its way up through every class…
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Remember this night!
Remember this night. Tonight all 52 Republican Senators voted against letting anyone read the new tax code with its many previously unknown special interest amendments crammed in at the last minute and then freshly marked up with handwritten changes added by lobbyists before they required a vote on it. Shocking but true. When the details…