Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Discussion of income tax tends to excite emotions about as fast as any political debate but it is the political season and both sides will give it a spin. Seldom do we heart details or comparisons that we can apply to our own unique situations. The truth is marginal income tax rates have remained fairly stable or dropped over the last decade 28% to 15% for a median income family filing jointly in Gloucester while the median income has risen about 20% (IRS and citydata.com). The trend is similar for all brackets and you actually have to go back to the late ’80s to find higher brackets. Did our combined income go up or some deduction/credit dry up? For most yes, these number assume simple apples to apples comparisons which vary but overall apply. The IRS also claims to collect 99% of the income tax and only 70% of business and investment income. We have all heard people tell us that a small percent of people paid the majority of taxes which is very true...