Federal, state and local taxes — including income, property, sales and other taxes — consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010.
I'd like to know where they get this information. I guarantee I pay at a higher percentage than the above paragraph claims. Anyone care to explain? The way I figure it I pay about 30%-35% combined taxes. Is this the plight of being a middle class earner or am I missing something here? Also, I've been an "earner" through 4 presidents and have seen no significant increase or decrease in my taxation. So I conclude that they all blow smoke as far as those in my earning bracket are concerned.