Undocumented Immigrants Paid $11.2 Billion in Taxes Last
Year, GE Paid Zero

Study estimates that illegal immigrants paid $11.2B in taxes
last year, unlike GE, which paid zero

Albor Ruiz

New York Daily News

April 20th 2011

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/04/20/2011-04-20_undocumented_unlike_rich_pay_plenty_in_taxes.html

	A study estimates that undocumented immigrants paid
	more than $11 billion in taxes last year, far
	outpacing corporate behemoth GE, which paid nothing.

I bet most of you didn't know undocumented immigrants
contributed more - much more - to the national treasury last
year than General Electric. Surprised? Yet it's true.

While GE - which earned a whopping $14 billion last year -
is reported to have paid nothing, nada, zero in taxes (GE
denies it), the undocumented paid billions in state and
local taxes in 2010.

No, it's not me talking; it's the Institute for Taxation and
Economic Policy (itepnet.org), a prestigious, nonprofit,
nonpartisan research organization that works on federal,
state and local tax policy issues.

Obviously the old saying, "Nothing is certain but death and
taxes," is not to be believed anymore. Or rather, only half
of it can be believed.

Because death, of course, remains as dreaded and inevitable
as ever, but with taxes the story is different.

"The rich are different from you and me," the famous F.
Scott Fitzgerald quote, is a much more accurate description
of what's going on in the country.

To no one's surprise, taxes are still as certain for working
people - and whatever is left of the middle class - as they
ever were. But for, well, GE and other corporate giants, the
only certainty is that many found ways to contribute as
little to the country's coffers as possible.

At the same time, Republicans in Washington are involved in
a mighty struggle to protect the tax breaks of the country's
richest 2%, while happily proposing to cut the most basic
social services to Americans who really need them.

Closer to home, Gov. Cuomo has announced the so-called
millionaires tax will not be renewed once it expires in
December, although since it was established in 2009 it has
brought in as much as $5 billion annually.

There is no doubt, when it comes to taxes the rich are
really different.

Ironically the vilified undocumented population, among the
poorest and most vulnerable in the country, does its part
when it comes to taxes.

They pay sales taxes and property taxes - even if they rent,
ITEP said. At least half of them pay income taxes. And, I
believe, if they were ever legalized, close to 100% would do
the same. "Add this all up," ITEP said, "and it amounts to
billions in revenue to state and local governments."

ITEP estimates that households that are headed by
undocumented immigrants (which may include members who are
U.S. citizens or legal immigrants) paid $11.2 billion in
state and local taxes last year. That included $1.2 billion
in personal income taxes, $1.6 billion in property taxes and
$8.4 billion in sales taxes.

New York is fourth in the country in tax revenue - $662.4
million - from households headed by undocumented immigrants,
after California, Texas and Florida.

"These figures should be kept in mind as politicians and
commentators continue with the seemingly endless debate over
what to do with unauthorized immigrants already living in
the United States," ITEP wisely advises.

"[These] immigrants - and their family members - are adding
value to the U.S. economy; not only as taxpayers, but as
workers, consumers and entrepreneurs as well."

Enough with those people - and they are many - who think
they are the only ones paying taxes, and who accuse the
undocumented of being "leeches" who contribute nothing. How
about redirecting their fury to the real leeches, those with
enough means and political clout to exploit every single
loophole in our tax laws not to pay their fair share?

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