"Gentlemen do not read each other's mail"

Jon Lasser jlasser at rwd.goucher.edu
Fri Jan 26 09:29:59 PST 1996


On Fri, 26 Jan 1996, Alan Horowitz wrote:

> The first was in a monograph which was putting forth the proposition that 
> FDR  ardently desired to become involved in the war.  By the way, FDR was 
> the man who made wage income, subject to federal taxation for the first 
> time.
> 
> I don't remember where I read the second.
> 
> To me, both stories are plausible.

In fact, before FDR, wage income was taxed; however, it was one large 
check at the end of the yeraar (or the beginning of the next, really).

The high cost of WW II made it a necessity for the gvm't to have more 
money at a particular moment, and not wait for year-end.

I can't remember when the amendment constitutionalizing (is that a word) 
the income tax was passed; however, the income tax (and wage income was 
most certainly taxed) was AFAIK implemented by the end of the 19th century.

I might be wrong on dates here; the general principle still stands...
Jon Lasser
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Jon Lasser                <jlasser at rwd.goucher.edu>            (410)494-3072 
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