Taxpayers

WASHINGTON -- Federal entitlement programs for older citizens, if kept at their present funding levels, will have "catastrophic consequences" on the incomes and living standards of American workers in the next century, the National Taxpayers Union said yesterday.Releasing a study that it said was based on the government's own economic projections, the taxpayers' group sounded a warning that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid may become too heavy a burden for younger workers. The organization said it foresees total tax rates as high as 69 percent for average workers by the year 2040 if these programs continue in their present forms.

IMAGINE a young couple, planning their wedding, making the arrangements for a new life together, thinking about the changes that married life will bring. Under todays tax laws, one of the unexpected -- and unwelcome -- surprises awaiting them comes when April 15 rolls around. Because of the combined effects of the provisions of our tax code, many married couples pay more in federal income taxes than the two individuals would owe if they were not married. The need to provide relief from this marriage tax penalty is a top priority of Congress.

The annual parade of procrastinators stretched a half-mile along Fayette Street in the rain late last night as Maryland taxpayers used every available moment to get their returns in before the midnight deadline. In the crowd once again were three retirees from the Baltimore school system who have made a tradition of showing up at the city's main post office for a last-minute drop-off. "We're not late," said Monteece Jones. "We're right on time." By 12: 01 this morning, however, it was too late.

Members of a Baltimore taxpayers group yesterday expressed outrage and disappointment at Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke's quiet proposal to help the owners of the troubled HarborView development by offering tax credits to buyers of condominiums there.They were particularly upset because the Schmoke administration, as recently as Friday, had opposed a bill they favor that would offer similar sliding-scale credits for buyers of new homes citywide.The mayor abruptly decided to support the second measure this week in the face of legislative opposition to the HarborView bill.

As the federal judiciary struggles amid hiring freezes and funding shortages for basic services, 150 judges from Maryland and other parts of the Fourth Circuit converged yesterday on the broad verandas, lush fairways and tennis courts of the five-star Greenbrier resort.Their taxpayer-financed gathering will demand little work in the afternoons and barely any at night -- unless you count one banquet and a sing-along led by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Of course, several hundred lawyers pay their own way, and those who consider schmoozing part of the job might argue that they're working tirelessly.

State and federal officials have posted the names of 3,500 people due tax refunds on the state's World Wide Web page.Refund checks are often returned to state and federal officials because taxpayers move or change their names and fail to notify the federal Internal Revenue Service or the state comptroller's office. Anyone expecting a refund from 1996 or a previous year may check the Web site at www.comp.state.md.us. Taxpayers may call the IRS at 410-962-2590, or the state comptroller at 410-974-3701 in Central Maryland or 800-218-8160 elsewhere.

State fiscal analysts estimated that trips by Gov. Martin O'Malley to Ireland last year might have cost taxpayers as much as $17,000, but Warren G. Deschenaux, director of policy analysis for the Department of Legislative Services, said his office is still working on a final accounting of expenses. Howard County Republican Sen. Allan H. Kittleman requested the report on state money spent during the trips.

State Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein announced that he has eliminated some tax forms previously required of Maryland's individual and business taxpayers. He is allowing an additional 1.9 million tax forms to be processed by private agencies.Some of the eliminated tax forms involve federal Schedule A and child-care expense forms that Maryland taxpayers were required return to the comptroller's office with their state tax returns.Mr. Goldstein said he moved last week to reduce demands on taxpayers and to reduce the workload of his office, which he said was hampered by budget cuts in hiring temporary employees.

NO SOONER did Wayne Huizinga's Florida Marlins win the World Series than he repeated his hope that the city of Miami would build the team a new baseball park. Mr. Huizinga is a successful businessman who is convinced that the city will not finance the park if he is connected with the team. So he is willing to sell his World Champions if necessary to ensure that the park is built.The idea that the taxpayers should pay for professional sports facilities is a rather dramatic illustration of how far we have drifted from the founding ideals of this country.

The early returns are in, and Maryland taxpayers are notlooking very smart.For the first time, the state comptroller's office has instructed taxpayers to round off all monetary entries to whole dollar amounts rather than list every income figure or deduction to the last precise cent.However, based on a sampling, taxpayers failed to follow that instruction on about 25 percent of the 133,000 state income tax returns filed by yesterday, said comptroller's office spokesman Marvin Bond.With another 2 million returns awaited, Mr. Bond said, "we're trying to nip it in the bud."