Where They Stand: Your Taxes

By: Anthony Mason
Topics: Where They Stand

[Editor's note: Tonight, we're beginning series of in-depth stories that we'll be airing about twice a week until Election Day. Each will focus on one major issue that affects Americans – from health care to the environment to education. It's called "Where They Stand," and is designed to help see straight through the rhetoric and find out what impact each candidate's plan would actually have on you. Tonight, Anthony Mason has our first installment, and it's about something that hits every American's wallet … and on which Obama and McCain differ significantly: taxes. Correspondent Anthony Mason contributed this post about his report for tonight's Evening News.]

(CBS)

We headed to Ohio, a critical battleground state, to look at the tax issue. Polls show the race there is in a statistical dead heat.

We spent three days there, driving from Columbus to Dayton to Cincinnati – all to spend time with three different families. Their incomes ranged from $32,000 to $213,000. We found them with a little help from the Ohio Society of CPAs, so we could see how the candidate's tax proposals could affect a cross section of Americans.

Kendra Foos, a mother of three in Miamisburg, Ohio, summed up what a lot of middle income taxpayers seem to be feeling: "We're on our own. That's how I feel. There isn't anybody that's rooting for us. [They think] we're the ones in the middle that can take care of themselves." As she sat around the kitchen table with her husband Andy, a construction manager, Kendra said, "We're the ones that seem to struggle the most, because we don't have any type of program to help us. And the rich are doing just fine."

All three families we talked with felt squeezed by the economy, which polls show is the most important issue in the state. Ohio has lost 200,000 jobs this decade. Second only to Michigan. Joi Beacham, a teacher from Pataskala, summed up what she wanted from the next president in one word: "Relief."

In "Where They Stand" on the Evening News tonight, we lay out both candidates proposals. Matt Yuskewich, a Columbus accountant, crunched the numbers for us to show what it would mean for our three Ohio families. And in doing that, we hope it will show you a pretty good estimate what it could mean for your tax bill. So, join us – and let us know what you think. There are plenty more issues to come – so stay tuned for those, too.

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by Screenwriter40 September 11, 2008 3:16 PM EDT: 9/11/01

An ordinary Tuesday morning turns into a nightmarish view of the future. The towers fell. What were once tall twin towers in New York City is now emptiness. The towers fell. So many good people that once worked in those towers were either rescued or perished into heaven. The towers fell. So much has been lost in a matter of hours, and the towers fell. So many firefighters tried to save as many as they could yet the towers fell. So many police officers tried to save lives as well but the towers fell. The end of innocence has come and the towers fell. Never again will life be the same and the towers fell, the souls that worked in there are lost in a cloud of fire, smoke, and dust; the towers fell, all I see is the loss, and the towers fell%u2026 BUT HOPE WILL NEVER PERISH!

Markus Henry McLaughlin
marknetproductions.wordpress.com
Hudson, MA, USA; Reply to this comment


by Screenwriter40 September 11, 2008 3:13 PM EDT: 9/8/08
By Markus McLaughlin%u2028

Almost seven years have past since the events of September 11th. I have been wanting to travel to Ground Zero and St. Paul%u2019s Cathedral for years. That day had%u2028arrived on the Monday before September 11th of 2008. First, I walked to St. Paul%u2019s Cathedral and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I looked at displays and artifacts %u2028from that tragic day. I sat in a chair and prayed for all of those lost as well as for my Father who died 6 years before. Afterwards, I started walking and I remembered where the Twin Towers once stood because I was in the top of one of them 8 years ago. %u2028When I arrived at Ground Zero, there was large barrier walls covering the site where over Three Thousand lives perished after two hijacked jets hit the towers. Our lives changed forever because of 9/11/01. I see life as a very precious gift that should never be squandered. I finally could bring closure to my grief that has lasted seven years. %u2028I can not forget September 11th, for that day will haunt me for the rest of my life. I talked to one of the New York Police at Ground Zero, I gave my thanks to them for helping people on that fateful day. We can never forget and hope can never ever perish!; Reply to this comment


by calkinsam September 11, 2008 3:42 AM EDT: I was actually very interested in the story. I thought it was a great idea. I did want actual figures for the family that makes 213+ rather than some hypothetical amount. I agree with the Foos family it seems like those of us in the middle are screwed again.; Reply to this comment


by mcbelle10 September 10, 2008 8:21 PM EDT: This report was biased against Oboma. The reporter did his best to show Oboma''s tax plan as unfavorable. Even though Obama''s tax plan raises taxes for those making $250K and the top-earning family in this story earned $213, the reported calculated their taxes as though they made $250K ($37K increase). He also suggested to the middle class family that Oboma''s tax plan would not help them much over McCain/Bush''.
I had hoped to watch CBS to support Katie''s ratings. But I was turned off by the very biased reporting.; Reply to this comment


by bromleywoods September 10, 2008 3:08 PM EDT: I seldom watch CBS news but did so last night upon hearing that the first in a series of reports devoted to where the candidates stand on the issues would begin. I was anticipating getting sound information regarding income taxes, but I was sorely disappointed. The comparison of the first two families made sense, but I never learned how the $224,000 family would fare; instead, Mason speculated what would happen under the Obama plan if that family''s income increased. The report provided little concrete information; surely an organization as rich as CBS could do the research necessary to provide viewers with substantial concrete, unbiased information regarding the candidates'' positions on the issues.; Reply to this comment


by tree44327 September 10, 2008 3:29 AM EDT: Thanks to everyone that commented. CBS Credibility is on the line. A professional retraction and clarifying Evening News piece is in order - seriously, ask Mr. Cronkite for guidance. Big mistakes on this piece and you know it.; Reply to this comment


by djmclg September 10, 2008 1:20 AM EDT: There is a serious flaw with this news story. When the story drifted and said how much will Wilson family might pay under a hypothetical situation, you lost all credibility. Put the numbers out and let them tell the story. If you knew the numbers, why didn''''t you report the facts instead of adding a hypothetical situation where they may earn more?

Please put out a chart where it has one the screen:

McCain Plan Obama Plan
Family A
Family B
Family C

Shame on you Anthony Mason for leading us to believe that this would be a fact based story. It changed to a "what if" story, and now we don''''t know what the Wilsons tax would be under the McCain plan or the Obama plan at their current salary.

Please publish a clarification on this on the Wednesday evening news with Katie Couric on CBS with the current salaries and tax impact for each family similar to the chart above. Just the facts are what we need to help us make the decision.

Thanks.; Reply to this comment


by pfrantz42 September 10, 2008 1:20 AM EDT: I am fortunate enough to understand the tax code sufficiently to know your portrayal of Obama''s tax plan is not correct. Others including ebaytrk,GSnyder8, and thinkingdem apparently also caught your misleading report. Taxes are paid bracket by bracket. Everyone pays the same on each bracket. Whether you make $50,000 or $500,000 you pay the same on the first $15,650 if married filing jointly. You would pay 15% on every dollar over $15,650 but not over $63,700. Regarding the couple in question, if they are in the 28% bracket, they will still pay 28% on all income to the top of that bracket. They will only pay the 36% on income over the top of the 28% bracket. In the current economy, it is very possible they will not make more money next year. Why was this assumed for this couple and not the others? Is it too much to expect that this couple pay a few hundred dollars more if they make over $250,000 in taxable income and their income is going up in these tough economic times?
I think this topic needs a correction on the evening news. It misled a lot of people and may affect the way they vote. This important election should not be influenced by misinformation from a major national news outlet. The preparers of the story apparently did not understand the tax code and the vast majority of Americans also do not. As a result many viewers will not know this information was not correct. That is why you must correct your story on air!; Reply to this comment


by billpatti September 10, 2008 1:07 AM EDT: Your tax comparison between McCain & Obama was "incorrect" in one aspect. You said correctly that McCain would make the tax cuts permanent. But you failded to mention that before applying Obama''s tax incentives, he would reinstate the pre-Bush taxes, which were higher for all incomes, even for the lower and middle class tax-payers. This would make the total taxes each group would pay under Obama much higher than under McCain''s plan.; Reply to this comment


by oreo012003 September 9, 2008 10:51 PM EDT: Wow, I''m going to stop working!!! The one family didn''t pay a dime and received a nice check. Then they are going to get free college on the people that actually pays taxes. History will repeat itself by showing how a democracy will bankrupt itself, because the masses will vote for the politicians that promise them the most.; Reply to this comment