Recently, nationally funded ads misled Pennsylvanians about the FairTax. These ads claimed the FairTax will add 23 percent to the cost of everything. This is true, but the ads omitted the most important part of the tax-reform plan.
What these ads irresponsibly failed to address is that the FairTax would fully rid citizens and businesses of income taxes, federal payroll taxes, inheritance and estate taxes, capital gains tax, Social Security and pension taxes, and the "marriage penalty."
Additionally, these ads failed to mention a key provision: the "prebate," a pre-refund of all taxes paid up to the poverty level, which amounts to $500 per month to a family of four.
Personally, I'd pay about 5 percent less tax with the FairTax.
FactCheck, a nonprofit and nonpartisan information verification agency ( factcheck.org ) set up by the University of Pennsylvania, agrees, calling these ads "false and misleading."
While I appreciate the attention to the FairTax, it's important that people know the facts and realize they'd have more money to spend because they wouldn't have any income tax taken out of their paychecks, plus the prebate would give them another $500 per month -- enough for food or perhaps a car payment or an iPad, whichever they deem fiscally responsible for their own needs.
Colin Dean
Regent Square
