Truly taxing

Taxes ruined my Friday.\nAfter waiting patiently to get paid for my job out here in Maryland, I finally received a paycheck. Excited, I opened the envelope to see a mistake.\nIt looked like my paycheck. It had my name on it, and it even said "University of Maryland" on the corner -- but the amount was totally wrong. A sizeable chunk of money -- my supposed living stipend -- had been stolen by some dark, thieving fiend.\nThat fiend happened to be our own Uncle Sam, collaborating with my employer to steal my money away before I could even touch it. Now, I'm normally pretty cool about money, and I understand every now and then when they take 15 percent or so away -- but this money, my living money, was slashed by 30 percent, a percentage I couldn't believe! \nI thought that there must be some mistake. Some pencil-pusher in accounting had slipped up and pulled too much out. On further inquiry, I found out that I'm not the only one taking it from the man. Apparently getting taxed this much is normal in Maryland -- especially if you're from out of state.\nMy employers say that I'll probably get most of it back eventually, but getting a refund next year kind of defeats the purpose of a summer living stipend. I also have my doubts about the return process, because my federal refund last year amounted to a whopping $7. Apparently, cashing bonds detracts from any money you should be getting back.\nAnyway, it's nice to know that I'm paying a load of money to Social Security that will be far depleted by the time I get old enough to use it. Enjoy the present, old people. \nI'm also tickled when I think about how I'm paying for less than efficient military spending and funding government programs to spy on U.S. citizens. All the while, funding is being cut to the sciences -- unless the research is about National Security. \nMeanwhile, I'm living in a violent, crime-riddled city that is in the middle of what Police Chief Charles Ramsey calls a "crime emergency." That's right; this place is even more dangerous than usual because, from July 1 to July 11, there were 13 murders. I've been told not to walk around in the dark because of murders, muggings and gang violence in the neighborhood around my apartment.\nMaybe that's what the government is trying to do with my taxes. If they steal my money before some ghetto-thug can, I should be safe, right? \nI've decided that I want my money back. I don't feel safe, the roads are clogged and I have so little faith in the leadership of the higher-ups. I think a full refund is in order. It seems that with government you don't necessarily get what you pay for. \nNow, on the bright side I'm glad I don't live in Denmark. According to the Danish Ministry of Taxation people are taxed around 50 percent. I wonder how many murders it's had over there.