10-22-2009, 05:33 AM
C(-)ris wrote:
People are going to buy a pet and ignore it(or worse) to get a tax credit. It is a HORRIBLE idea.
Absolutely - if this gets put into law there had better be some serious teeth to necessary and concomitant pet care regulation so that those who do not take care of their pets do not receive financial benefit and suffer criminal sanctions much the way that poor parents do today.
To that end, not only should the affect on tax receipts be studied but also the affect on our already overburdened legal system where these cases would have to be prosecuted, and then the overall societal cost of implementing this can be better weighed against the advantages this argument seems to present.
I also see a serious challenge with enforcing this in many places; i.e. if I claim a pet gerbil on my taxes and the IRS comes to audit... whoops, the gerbil was carried off by a hawk while I was walking it last week inspector!
g=