Tax Update Blog: Permalink

« Previous · Tax Update Blog Home · Next »

THE DOLLARS WERE IN ENGLISH

September 11, 2008

Charles Rangel, the chief taxwriter in the House Ways and Means Committee, apparently was too busy looking after our taxes to look after his. He has vowed to pay back taxes on $75,000 of rental income on a "Dominican Republic beach house" that he has left off his tax returns. Apparently Mr. Rangel has alternately blamed his accountant and his lack of skills in Spanish. The New York Times reports:

At a Capitol Hill news conference, during which he was by turns remorseful and combative, the congressman said that he had not been aware of the income and unpaid taxes in part because he had trouble getting detailed financial statements from the resort’s managers in the Dominican Republic.

"Every time I thought I was getting somewhere, they’d start speaking Spanish," Mr. Rangel said.

About half of Mr. Rangel's constituents speak Spanish, according to the Times. In any case, the Tax Law, while it seems at times to be an alien tongue, is actually written in English.

The TaxProf has coverage, including a suggestion that Ways and Means members be audited annually. I'd extend that rule to members of the Senate Finance Committee. Further, I would make them guinea pigs for my proposal to have all congresscritters do their returns live on the internet, with running commentary by those watching. No doubt there would be some bilingual help there among the kibitzers.

The Hit and Run blog piles on.

      Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit