As the Rolling Stone correspondent to the 2004 Republican Convention, I know that S.C. GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, like Sgt. Hulka, has a heck of a hip sense of humor. Here’s further proof:
After weeks of bad news for Al Franken, even other state Republican Parties are getting into the act. Franken, who earlier this year agreed to a $25,000 fine for failing to cover workers’ compensation insurance for his employees, has also been stung in recent days by an acknowledgment that he owes up to $70,000 in back taxes in several states in which he performed.
In a letter to the South Carolina Department of Revenue, Palmetto State GOP chairman Katon Dawson last week asked director Ray Stevens to make sure their state received full payment from Franken’s company, Alan Franken Inc., which received payment for services there.
"South Carolina faces an uncertain economic environment," Dawson wrote. "It is incumbent upon us to ensure that every individual and corporation lives up to its obligations to report its income, and pay its fair share of taxes." In the letter, Dawson requests a full review of the company’s activities in South Carolina since its inception in 1991.
"I don’t think people are going to believe Al Franken’s good enough or smart enough to be a U.S. Senator because, doggone it, he doesn’t pay his taxes," Dawson told Politics Nation. "But I have a punch line for the Democrats’ star comedian-turned-candidate: show some personal responsibility and pay your fair share."Franken last week said the blunder came when his company’s accountant overpaid taxes in New York and Minnesota, where the comedian and satirist has lived, instead of paying taxes to the states in which Franken performed and was paid. Still, if even other Republican Party chairmen are having fun with Franken’s lax accountant, one can bet the Minnesota Republican Party won’t let the issue go so easily.
By the way, if you didn’t get the headline, you’re probably either too young or too old to remember the Al Franken decade, to wit:
Jane Curtin: Well, the 1970’s are in their final month, and with some thoughts on this decade and the one we’re about to enter, here’s Weekend Update’s Social Sciences Editor Al Franken.
Al Franken: Thank you, Jane. Well, the "me" decade is almost over, and good riddance, and far as I’m concerned. The 70’s were simply 10 years of people thinking of nothing but themselves. No wonder we were unable to get together and solve any of the many serious problems facing our nation. Oh sure, some people did do some positive things in the 70’s – like jogging – but always for the wrong reasons, for their own selfish, personal benefit. Well, I believe the 80’s are gonna have to be different. I think that people are going to stop thinking about themselves, and start thinking about me, Al Franken. That’s right. I believe we’re entering what I like to call the Al Franken Decade. Oh, for me, Al Franken, the 80’s will be pretty much the same as the 70’s. I’ll still be thinking of me, Al Franken. But for you, you’ll be thinking more about how things affect me, Al Franken. When you see a news report, you’ll be thinking, "I wonder what Al Franken thinks about this thing?", "I wonder how this inflation thing is hurting Al Franken?" And you women will be thinking, "What can I wear that will please Al Franken?", or "What can I not wear?" You know, I know a lot of you out there are thinking, "Why Al Franken?" Well, because I thought of it, and I’m on TV, so I’ve already gotten the jump on you. So, I say let’s leave behind the fragmented, selfish 70’s, and go into the 80’s with a unity and purpose. That’s what I think. I’m Al Franken. Jane?
Jane Curtin: Thank you, Al. That’s the news. Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow.
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I had to pay state taxes in SC, CA, and CO for this past year because I did contract work in those states.
Like Franken, I got no benefits for the taxes I paid… and on top of state income taxes, my company also paid taxes on my hotel room (10%), my rental car (12%), food purchases, etc. My company was easily paying $100 per week for these taxes.
Luckily, my company handled all the costs of filing two additional forms…. but the system is (once again) broken. I don’t live in CA yet I am paying to help their kids get a better education than their SC counterparts.
But you’re probably wondering what this means to ME, Doug Ross…
Sorry, Doug; I couldn’t resist the setup…
I’m Doug Ross and you’re not.
South Carolina considers any money earned in another state to be taxable by SC. You have to pay taxes to the other state, then file for a credit against your SC taxes. If you work in a state with no income taxes, like FL, TN, Texas, etc, or lower taxes, like Illinois or over 30 other states, then you owe SC the difference.
The complexity for construction workers, engineers and architects who work in multiple states is one reason over 100,000 such high-paying workers have left the state since 1976. Once again, greed and a legislators writing laws without analyzing the results or even caring enough to get testimony from accountants and those affected, has cost the state a huge amount of personal incomes and taxes.
Brad,
Would you have a problem with other states expecting reporters to pay state income tax if they went on site to cover a story?
Should The State’s sports columnists who travel to all the SEC states for football games pay taxes in each of those states? Or maybe they do…. Do you know? That would be fair for everyone, right?
Doug, this is going to shock you, but I don’t have an opinion about it one way or the other.
I do appreciate the fact that Philadelphia charges an income tax to people who work there but live elsewhere, but that’s just because that policy led to a very satisfying moment for me: After years of telling my former publisher that South Carolina’s taxes overall were not that high, and him refusing to believe me, he left here and went to work for the Philadelphia paper. Not long after that, he called to tell me, “I’ll never complain about South Carolina taxes again.”
I still savor the moment.
But other than that, no, I have no opinion of other states and their taxes. Not my business. I’ve got my hands full pushing for comprehensive tax reform right here in SC, and making frustratingly little progress I might add, except that candidates who come in here for interviews almost always say they’re for it…
Once upon a time, Al Franken made me laugh — really laugh.
Now he makes me cry.
What taxes would Brad reduce and eliminate in his “comprehensive tax reform”?
Would overall taxes be higher or lower?
How do you know, since the state has no budgeting process?