When President Obama rolls out his deficit-reduction plan today–including a proposal to raise taxes on millionaires–he can count on at least one supporter: Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
In an interview in the October issue of Philadelphia magazine, Rollins says it’s time for rich people like him to start paying more. “Warren Buffet pays less taxes percentage-wise than his secretary, you catch that?” Rollins asks. “How can that be?”
“I’m blessed to pay a lot in taxes, ” Rollins says. “I have friends and relatives that go day-to-day. Every American deserves to feel secure at the end of their life. So if it’s going to lift two families up, go ‘head, tax me more, I can handle it. Best I know, everyone’s going to die. No one’s taking money to the afterlife.”
This isn’t Rollins’ first foray into politics. In 2008, he became one of the few pro athletes to publicly endorse a Presidential candidate, taping robo-calls on behalf of Barack Obama and introducing Joe Biden at a get-out-the-vote rally in South Philadelphia.
Read the full Philadelphia magazine story about Rollins here. The October issue hits newsstands later this week.
September 19th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
September 19th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Hoping he goes 0 for forever.
Rollins should know that Warren Buffet has been fighting the IRS for the past 10 years in a case that has yet to be decided so he does not pay taxes that the govt. is suing him for. But that would be asking someone to know what they are talking about which obviously Jimmie Rollins does not……
September 19th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Batting
Last 3 years Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
2009 PHI 155 672 100 168 43 5 21 77 44 70 31 8 .250 .296 .423 .719
2010 PHI 88 350 48 85 16 3 8 41 40 32 17 1 .243 .320 .374 .694
2011 PHI 131 522 81 140 22 1 14 58 54 57 28 7 .268 .338 .395 .733
Career (Full) 1625 6813 1074 1854 388 99 168 720 564 854 371 77 .272 .329 .432 .761
September 19th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
He should send Zero a tape of how to
throw a ball like a playa.
September 19th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
September 19th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
September 19th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
September 20th, 2011 at 12:08 am
According to the report, “We anticipate that we will resolve all adjustments proposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (‘IRS’) for the 2002 through 2004 tax years at the IRS Appeals Division within the next 12 months. The IRS has completed its examination of our consolidated U.S. federal income tax returns for the 2005 and 2006 tax years and the proposed adjustments are currently being reviewed by the IRS Appeals Division process. The IRS is currently auditing our consolidated U.S. federal income tax returns for the 2007 through 2009 tax years.”
Americans for Limited Government researcher Richard McCarty, who was alerted to the controversy by a federal government lawyer, said, “The company has been short-changing the tax collection agency for much of the past decade. Mr. Buffett’s company has not fully settled its tax bills from 2002-2009. Yet he says he’d happily pay more. Except the IRS has apparently been asking him to pay more going on nine years.”
Apparently, not paying taxes in full is an annual occurrence under Buffett’s watch. Considering the size of the company, the amount of unsettled taxes could total in the tens of millions.
McCarty explained, “The rough translation of the report is that Berkshire Hathaway did not pay all the federal taxes that it was required to for 2002 through 2004. The IRS examination team caught Berkshire Hathaway on at least some issues. Instead of paying up, Berkshire Hathaway is threatening the IRS with protracted litigation and is in the process of cutting a deal with the IRS Appeals office.”
He continued, “For 2005 and 2006, Berkshire Hathaway again did not pay all the federal taxes that it was required to. Again, the IRS examination team caught Berkshire Hathaway on at least some issues. Now, Berkshire Hathaway is threatening the IRS with protracted litigation and is trying to cut a deal with the IRS Appeals office.”
McCarty concluded, “And, finally, the IRS has opened another examination of Berkshire Hathaway’s tax returns for 2007 through 2009, but has not officially sent Berkshire Hathaway the bill yet for taxes that Berkshire Hathaway failed to pay for those years. One would expect they will find yet more issues.”
Now, most Americans, when they receive a tax bill from the government, they pay it. They don’t get an attorney. They don’t appeal the bill. They pay it — on time and in full. But not Buffett’s company, which apparently takes years to settle its liabilities.
Since this appears to be an ongoing pattern at the company, it becomes reasonable to ask: Is this some sort of internal company policy to delay paying taxes on time? If so, could this be construed as a form of tax evasion?
Interesting questions for the man who professes to want to pay more to Uncle Sam, and who sees fit to raise the burden on all job creators — except for perhaps his company — despite the longest period of sustained high unemployment since the Great Depression.
As Mr. Buffett has seen fit to enter the political arena, in the interests of full disclosure, the American people should be alerted to his own taxing hypocrisy. Reporters should ask him, “If you’re so interested in paying more in taxes, why doesn’t your company settle its tax bills from the past decade now?”
September 20th, 2011 at 9:26 am
So when Jimmy Rollins, an American, expresses his opinion on a heated political issue existing in HIS country, you feel that it’s okay to blast him for it? You’re allowed to have an opinion on politics — yet he isn’t?
I rest my case.
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:47 pm