Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton made her federal income tax return public this week in line with her and her husbands respect for public service and the people's right to know. The Clintons have made their tax returns public every year since 1977. That is longer than any other elected official or would be candidate.
The 2015 tax returns show Clinton paid an effected federal tax rate of 34.2% and an overall tax rate including state and local taxes of 43.2% A much greater percentage than any of this years Presidential candidates and past ones. The people do not know what Trump paid because he has not made his tax returns public as of this writing. Trump's wealth according to his own words dwarfs Clintons but this writer would bet his tax burden was a lot smaller than Clintons.
It is obvious Clinton feels paying taxes is a necessary responsibility for government to be able to function and take care of its obligations to the people. On the other hand Trump said if elected President he will reduce the corporate income tax dramatically and also taxes for the wealthy. That of course would explode the federal deficits once again like it did under the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush and those two Presidents are the ones who put the country's fiscal house in jeopardy.
Hillary Clinton may be wealthy and able to just retire comfortably but still believes public service is a noble profession and that she is still able to contribute to the good of the country and its people. America needs more public servants who are willing to do the same.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
