My favorite lefty commenter on this site, Right Wing Snarkle, pointed out a story in the Anchorage Daily News that Gov. Sarah Palin owed back taxes on per diem expense claims that she made while she was at her residence in her home town, Wasila.
Here is Mr. Snarkle's comment verbatim:
Hey, does your latest heartthrob have her own unpaid-back-taxes problem?
Gov. Sarah Palin must pay income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her Wasilla home, under a new determination by state officials.
The governor's office wouldn't say this week how much she owes in back taxes for meal money, or whether she intends to continue to receive the per diem allowance.
As of December, she was still charging the state for meals and incidentals."The amount of taxes owed is a private matter," Sharon Leighow, Palin's spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. "If the governor collects future per diem, those documents would be a matter of public record."
So, she gets paid to eat at home. What a freeloader - Who woulda thought?
But I guess it's OK if you're a repub...
No, it is not OK if one is intentionally not paying taxes.
But, here is a part of the story that Mr. Snarkle failed to point out:
The payments became a touchy issue for Palin last fall when she was running for vice president and campaigned as a budget watchdog.
The Washington Post published a story in mid-September that said she had charged the state almost $17,000 for meals and incidentals while staying in her own home.
Now, here is the money paragraph:
"At the Governor's request, we reviewed the situation to determine whether we were in full compliance with the pertinent Internal Revenue Service regulations," Kreitzer wrote. "As a result of this review, we determined that per diem needs to be treated as income, requiring a revision of W-2 forms for any affected employees."
In other words, when the revelation came out, Gov. Palin asked the state administration commissioner to make a determination.
Gov. Palin did not shirk the responsibility. She asked for and got a clarification. And will revise the tax forms and pay the appropriate taxes.
Unlike the Treasury Secretary, Turbo Tax Cheat Tim Geithner, Gov. Palin did not use Turbo Tax and simply ignored certain questions. Nor did Gov. Palin take a chauffeured limo for years and not count that a la Tom Daschle.
So, Mr. Snarkle, no, it is not the same situation. Not in the least. And it would help if you would include all the facts before going on a rant.
5 comments:
In other words, when the revelation came out, Gov. Palin asked the state administration commissioner to make a determination.
Oh, I see. Until she got caught, it never occurred to the White Trash Princess that getting paid to eat and sleep at her own home might be considered taxable income.
Thanks for rationalizing it away, I mean, clearing it up.
i am sorry you have exposed the truth 64, because i couldn't wait to knock her off her high heels!!... yours truly charlie rangel....
"Gov. Sarah Palin must pay income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her Wasilla home, under a new determination by state officials."
A "new" determination. The money was approved and paid, it come under question as to whether or not it is income for Palin rather than expenses for the state, it has now been determined she must pay taxes, and she will. Same thing as other 'oopsies' in the news of course. Same thing. Identical in fact. No difference. What. So. Ever.
Oh well, with Bush out of sight, somebody's gotta be the target of leftist rage.
whether or not it is income for Palin rather than expenses for the state
Yes, like whether my paycheck is income for me or an expense for my employer.
I love advice from folks who studied at a school they found on the back of a matchbook.
Paycheck vs per diem expenses. Exactly the same thing. No difference. What. So. Ever.
Well, except that one actually has the word "expenses" in it while the other does not. And one had its eventual taxable status determined after-the-fact while the other had its taxable status determined decades ago.
But otherwise, they're the same thing (in an alternate universe).
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