Accountant
"It's a necessary evil, and I don't have a problem with it. That's part of being a citizen. I usually do mine early, then don't have to worry about it. I went to the downtown post office once, right before midnight on April 15, just to see what it was like. It really is a zoo."
Paul Passanise
President, Royal Papers Inc.
"The taxes collected by our government -- federal, state, city and so on -- belong to us. I'm proud to pay my fair share to run this great country, but I feel strongly that's all they should collect. As excesses and surpluses build, they should be returned to the people that originally paid the taxes."
Trudy Werner
Owner, Designs by Trudy Inc.
"Grudgingly. I dread the day. I mean, who wants to pay taxes? Actually, I do believe in paying Caesar, but I think government has gone so much beyond that. It gouges into our lives and makes it extremely difficult for private individuals to get started in business. I'd like to see what Clinton is paying in personal income tax. I bet it's less than mine."
Douglas Knerr
Day Laborer
"I'll tell you, the state of Illinois, they wrote me a nasty letter which said, "If your refund claim isn't better than $25, don't even file, because it costs us more money to process your paperwork than you're going to get back.' So that's the reason I don't even file anymore, state or federal."
Julie Ferdman
Special-Services Representative, Charter Communications
"It was OK. I got most of it back, and I like that, because I have a terrible time saving money. So at least once a year I get a windfall of sorts. But I don't think the graduated- tax system works. I like the idea of a flat tax across the board. I think the government could make more money with a flat tax, and people in the high-tax bracket wouldn't grumble so much."
Richard Scott
Construction Worker
"It was terrible, man, 'cause they took out -- more like confiscated -- $3,500 for child support. They took it all, didn't leave me a penny, but I'm not mad. I'm glad to be working so I could pay ... though I still don't know what provoked her to turn me in to child-support enforcement."
