Dear Taxpayer: This letter cost you $42 million

vhx

Golden Member
Jul 19, 2006
1,151
0
0
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w...7-rebate-letters_N.htm

WASHINGTON (AP) ? At a cost of nearly $42 million, the IRS wants you to know: Your check is almost in the mail.

The Internal Revenue Service is spending the money on letters to alert taxpayers to expect rebate checks as part of the economic stimulus plan.

The notices are going out this month to an estimated 130 million households who filed returns for the 2006 tax year, at a cost $41.8 million, IRS spokesman John Lipold confirmed.

That works out to about 32 cents to print, process and mail each letter. It doesn't include the tab for another round of mailings planned for those who didn't file tax returns last year but may still qualify for a rebate.....
Irony or not? An economic stimulus plan meant to boost economy takes $42 million from it, on the notifications alone. This is really unneccesary.
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
32 cents to print/process/mail each letter is damn cheap, but here's a cheaper idea: MAKE A PRESS RELEASE, release it to the media and your website.

If someone cares enough about their check, they'll look it up. If they don't care, why bother notifying them?
 

CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
81
Originally posted by: jpeyton
If someone cares enough about their check, they'll look it up. If they don't care, why bother notifying them?
Because it's the government. Pushing paper around is the only thing it does well.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: jpeyton
32 cents to print/process/mail each letter is damn cheap, but here's a cheaper idea: MAKE A PRESS RELEASE, release it to the media and your website.

If someone cares enough about their check, they'll look it up. If they don't care, why bother notifying them?
They already did, we already knew. I got one and it told me nothing I didn't know. I guess it's for the complete freaking hermits who are aware of nothing at all. I am positive somebody got it and was, like "Wow, what a surprise!"

 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.
 

Jmman

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 1999
5,302
0
76
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.

Bingo. I was wondering if anyone here would be astute enough to see how a simple letter can alter consumer confidence......:)
 

m1ldslide1

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2006
2,321
0
0
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.

Assuming that having this cash in hand will actually improve said economic outlook, then it's pretty smart. If, however, it will do little to help anybody in the longer term, then it's just jerking off at a hefty price tag.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,563
9
81
I just jerked off for free. I obviously chose the wrong professions, I didn't know you could get paid to do that.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,234
701
126
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I just jerked off for free. I obviously chose the wrong professions, I didn't know you could get paid to do that.

Damn man, I just spewed all over the keyboard :laugh:

Maybe I'll get the letter and I'll run out with confidence and buy a new, clean one now.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
Originally posted by: Jmman
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.

Bingo. I was wondering if anyone here would be astute enough to see how a simple letter can alter consumer confidence......:)

Plus, 42 million isn't that much in the scope of the economy. It equates to $0.00002 dollars to someone who makes $75,000 a year ($42mill out of $13trillion)
 

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,701
60
91
Originally posted by: Exterous
Originally posted by: Jmman
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.

Bingo. I was wondering if anyone here would be astute enough to see how a simple letter can alter consumer confidence......:)

Plus, 42 million isn't that much in the scope of the economy. It equates to $0.00002 dollars to someone who makes $75,000 a year ($42mill out of $13trillion)

even still... at 25 cents each, $42million could have bought 168 million protein biscuits............
 

ericlp

Diamond Member
Dec 24, 2000
6,133
219
106
Originally posted by: Engineer
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I just jerked off for free. I obviously chose the wrong professions, I didn't know you could get paid to do that.

Damn man, I just spewed all over the keyboard :laugh:

Maybe I'll get the letter and I'll run out with confidence and buy a new, clean one now.

I heard you can chuck it into the dish washer. Next time don't be jerking off in front of the keyboard....


;)


Guess our government is too stupid to figure out that most of the working stiff's have email address.... Next thing... why can't they just deposit my check into my paypal or direct deposit it into my back account? Think how much money and trees we could have saved....

 
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
66
91
Speaking as a person who won't see a dime of the tax rebates, this does seem like a gratuitous waste of money. Ah well - by federal government standards $42M is small potatoes.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,234
701
126
Originally posted by: ericlp
Originally posted by: Engineer
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I just jerked off for free. I obviously chose the wrong professions, I didn't know you could get paid to do that.

Damn man, I just spewed all over the keyboard :laugh:

Maybe I'll get the letter and I'll run out with confidence and buy a new, clean one now.

I heard you can chuck it into the dish washer. Next time don't be jerking off in front of the keyboard....


;)


Guess our government is too stupid to figure out that most of the working stiff's have email address.... Next thing... why can't they just deposit my check into my paypal or direct deposit it into my back account? Think how much money and trees we could have saved....


LOL. Boberfett was jerking off. I just spewed pop (soda for your proper folks) all over the keyboard from reading his post! :laugh:
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Originally posted by: Jmman
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sadly this action makes sense, because it will increase the common man's confidence in the economy to know that the bread and circuses are almost in town.

Psy-ops on consumer confidence is a valid step to improve the economic outlook.

Bingo. I was wondering if anyone here would be astute enough to see how a simple letter can alter consumer confidence......:)

Considering that consumer confidence is mostly what drives the economy, $42 million to boost it seems like a bargain to me.
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,089
12
76
fobot.com
people work for the IRS , the $42 million isn't going to "disappear"
it goes into the economy, the IRS has to buy envelopes and paper from private companies , people work for those companies
etc etc
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: FoBoT
people work for the IRS , the $42 million isn't going to "disappear"
it goes into the economy, the IRS has to buy envelopes and paper from private companies , people work for those companies
etc etc
Nonetheless, $42M put into something like a bridge or a building does not vanish once people throw the mail in their trash.