Taxes are not good things, but if you want services, somebody’s got to pay for them so they’re a necessary evil.
—Michael Bloomberg (b.1942) American Businessperson, Public Administrator, Entrepreneur
There is just one thing I can promise you about the outer-space program—your tax-dollar will go further.
—Wernher von Braun (1912–77) German-born American Engineer, Scientist
Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Taxes are paid in the sweat of every man who labors.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
A fool and his money are soon parted. The rest of us wait for tax time.
—Common Proverb
The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return.
—Gore Vidal (1925–48) American Novelist, Essayist, Journalist, Playwright
The tax-exempt privilege is a feature always reflected in the market price of (municipal) bonds. The investor pays for it.
—Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) American Jurist
The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has. Even when you make a tax form out on the level, you don’t know when it’s through if you are a crook or a martyr.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Taxes and golf are alike, you drive your heart out for the green, and then end up in the hole.
—Unknown
The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government.
—Barry Goldwater (1909–98) American Elected Representative, Businessperson, Politician
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on Paul’s support.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Unquestionably, there is progress. The average American now pays twice as much in taxes as he formerly got in wages.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
When there’s a single thief, it’s robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it’s taxation.
—Unknown
The rope by which the great blocks of taxes are attached to any citizenry is simple loyalty.
—Stephen King (b.1947) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Screenwriter, Columnist, Film Director
The United States has a system of taxation by confession.
—Hugo Black (1886–1971) American Politician, Jurist
It is easier to start taxes than to stop them. A tax an inch long can easily become a yard long. That has been the history of the income tax. Would not the sales tax be likely to have a similar history (in the U.S.)? … Canadian newspapers report that an increase in the sales tax threatens to drive the Mackenzie King administration out of office. Canada began with a sales tax of 2%…. Starting this month the tax is 6%. The burden, in other words, has already been increased 200% … What the U.S. needs is not new taxes, is not more taxes, but fewer and lower taxes.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
An income tax form is like a laundry list-either way you lose your shirt.
—Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality
The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Of all our natural resources, the first one to be exhausted may be the taxpayer.
—Unknown
Every advantage has its tax.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The POWER of taxing people AND their property IS essential TO the very existence of government.
—James Madison (1751–1836) American Founding Father, Statesman, President
Like mothers, taxes are often misunderstood but seldom forgotten.
—George Wilshere, 1st Baron Bramwell (1808–92) English Judge
It’s getting so that children have to be educated to realize that “Damn” and “Taxes” are two separate words.
—Unknown
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Each citizen contributes to the revenues of the State a portion of his property in order that his tenure of the rest may be secure.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Taxes are important. President Bush’s tax proposals leave no rich person behind. Voters approve of President Bush helping the kind of people they wish they were one of.
—Andy Rooney (b.1919) American Writer, Humorist, TV Personality
A citizen can hardly distinguish between a tax and a fine, except that a fine is generally much lighter.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
When making out your income tax, it’s better to give than to deceive.
—Arnold Glasow (1905–98) American Businessman
I am thankful for the taxes I pay because it means that I’m employed.
—Nancie J. Carmody
The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf. Even when you make a tax form out on the level, you don’t know when it’s through if you are a crook or a martyr.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
As the general rule in constitutional states liberty is a compensation for the heaviness of taxation, and in despotic states the equivalent for liberty is the lightness of taxation.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
The imposition of taxes has its limits. There is a maximum which cannot be transcended. Suppose the citizen to be taxed by the general government to the utmost extent of his ability, or a thing as much as it can possibly bear, and the state imposes a tax at the same time, which authority is to take it?
—Henry Clay (1777–1852) American Politician
Government lasts as long as the under-taxed can defend themselves against the over-taxed.
—Bernard Berenson (1865–1959) Russian-born American Art Historian
Our Founding Fathers objected to taxation without representation. They should see it today with representation.
—Anonymous
No one can become rich by the efforts of only their toil, but only by the discovery of some method of taxing the labor of others.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
The taxpayer—that’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take the civil service examination.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
It is getting harder and harder to support the government in the style to which it has become accustomed.
—Unknown
We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes non-work.
—Milton Friedman (1912–2006) American Economist
The taxpayer: Someone who works for the government but doesn’t have to take a civil service examination.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
The power to tax is the power to destroy.
—John Marshall (1755–1835) American Judge, Lawyer
The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that still carries any reward.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
Taxes are the sinews of the state.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
To please universally was the object of his life; but to tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
Taxes grow without rain.
—Hebrew Proverb
The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist