European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 23, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes monday december 23. 1985 Anthony Lewis fairness Issue incentive Tor House s fax Reform Bill the tax Bill passed by the House of representatives confounds Many predictions mine included the existing tax code is a premise of life for so Many interests in this country that real Reform looked impossible but the House Bill is real Reform. Him did it happen .1 president Reagan overcame the last obstacle in the House to ii his lobbing of republicans. But something More profound made this a re form Bill and sent it to the Senate with unexpected momentum. That was the Suc of fairness in taxes when the president spoke around the country for tax simplification reporters with him said hey found Little Public enthusiasm for the idea. The tax system is a daunting subject for most people an Way. But americans do know one thing about Taicz Tou Man Well off Tampa ers Pav Little or nothing. There is a growing resentment of that injustice. And the resentment has made itself Felt in Congress. General Lilac Eric is a dramatic example of lax avoidance by corporation Cher the last four years go has made profits totalling $9.5 billion. On that it paid no Federal income lax. Indeed it got refunds of $98 million. Go is not a singular example. Perhaps half of american corporations now pay no Federal income tax. Among them arc such Oiher giants As Boeing Dupont itt Dow. General dynamics. They manage to avoid taxes by using to the Hilt provisions added to the tax code in recent years no Tubby accelerated depreciation and the in vestment tax credit. Rich individuals similarly avoid or minimize their taxes using shelters that depend on he corporate tax provi Sions. A Treasury department study last summer showed that 30,000 americans with incomes Over 5250,000 a year paid no taxes at All. The House Bill would Sharp reduce those perceived injustices by repealing the investment lax credit and curtailing depreciation benefits. It would also make All corporations subject to a minimum tax. Those changes would in turn curb the abuses of tax shelters for individuals injustice is just As Stark Al the other end of the scale. The poor have suffered extraordinarily under the Reagan tax changes of the last four years paying More while just about and no idea until they consider these figures in 1979 a married distributed by King r