Thread: but at least he pays his taxes...

http://www.nydailynews.com/04-16-2005/n ... 7165c.html

File under 'Tax Day surprise'

Illegal immigs step up

By LESLIE CASIMIR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER


Illegal immigrant Ruben Tenas is hard at work in his Manhattan shop on day he joined last-minute filers, saying, “I wanted to do my part.�

Ruben Tenas has been in the United States illegally for 18 years - so he's not the first person who comes to mind when you think of a law-abiding, taxpaying citizen.
Yet he was among the frantic throngs of last-minute taxpayers yesterday.

"My kids are here and they go to public school," said Tenas, 47, who owns a leather dye manufacturing company in midtown. "I wanted to do my part."

In the absence of a Social Security number, Tenas files using an Internal Revenue Service-issued individual taxpayer identification number. The number allows people working off the books to pay their own taxes.

Since the program's inception in 1996, 7.2 million people nationwide have signed up, said Kevin McKeon, an IRS spokesman in New York. Before it, undocumented immigrants could only file using fake or stolen Social Security numbers.

Immigrants and their advocates believe that playing by Uncle Sam's rules could help newcomers down the line if there is an immigration amnesty or they become eligible to legalize their status.

"I am trying to establish myself for the future, for a green card," said Francisco Javier Guzman, 40, who mailed out his tax form yesterday, reporting $8,000 income. He owed $274.

"I want the government to know I have contributed," said the East Harlem resident, who works in marketing. "I want to establish credit history so I can someday buy a house."

Teresa Garcia, a development director at Asociación Tepeyac, an immigrant advocacy group, says the organization encourages its clients to file.

"We want people to be able to prove their identities and to meet their fiscal responsibilities," Garcia said. "We want them to be part of society."

Jocelyn Chi, an accountant in Flushing who caters to Chinese and Latino immigrants, believes a substantial number of the estimated half-million illegal immigrants living in the city are reporting their wages to the IRS.

This tax season she has prepared an estimated 50 forms for undocumented immigrants, who earn low wages averaging $10,000.

"A lot of people are interested in doing the right thing," Chi said in a bustling office full of anxious clients. "Although they're doing it late."


Uncle Sam's bite on the big shots


Vice President Cheney made more money last year than his boss, President Bush. But the President spent a lower percentage of his income on taxes. And when it comes to charitable donations, Gov. Pataki is pretty cheap.

Tired of looking at your own taxes? Take a look at these:


PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AND WIFE, LAURA

Income: $784,219

Taxes paid: $207,307

Charitable donations: $77,785

26.4% of income paid in taxes

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY AND WIFE, LYNNE

Income: $1.3 million

Taxes paid: $393,518

Charitable donations: $303,354

30.3% of income paid in taxes

GOV. PATAKI AND WIFE, LIBBY

Income: $528,023

Taxes paid: $167,620

Charitable donations: $6,965

31.7% of income paid in taxes

MAYOR BLOOMBERG

Did not release tax return

DEMOCRATIC MAYORAL FRONT-RUNNER FERNANDO FERRER AND WIFE, ARAMINA

Income: $244,201

Taxes paid: $74,400

Charitable donations: $14,606

30.5% of income paid in taxes

CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER GIFFORD MILLER AND WIFE, PAMELA

Income: $249,289

Taxes paid: $86,047

Charitable donations: $7,900

34.5% of income paid in taxes

REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D-QUEENS)

Income: $151,440

Taxes paid: $38,644

Charitable donations: $2,136

25.5% of income paid in taxes

Originally published on April 16, 2005

That's Too Funny---Illegal reports $8,000 of income running his "shop" in Manhattan. Average Illegal reports $10,000 of income working in New York City!! So, that's cool. Now we have 7,200,000 tax fraud-illegal aliens.

Anyone here from New York or New Jersey that can confirm for the group that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to survive in NYC, Manhattan, any of its 5 burroughs on $8,000 to $10,000 "income" per year. Participants aiding in the fraud would of course be the accountant and the hmmmm "advocacy" group.

GET REAL AMERICA---they are cheaters, liars and thieves from Day One. They don't even know how to "come clean". That's why they need to go home and pull their cheating ways on that government.

Living in Manhattan with a Family on $$8,000 to $10,000 a year---that is hysterical.

Okay-so he left out his 'import' business...

I am so sick of this illegal filth that is allowed to be in this country. Does this guy think I am going to be glad that he paid a measly 274 dollars when his kids are using much more than that in school and he's probably on public welfare. Another illegal sympathizer story that doesn't bring up the costs these people cost us. In NY, even the worst school districts get $8,000/year per kid. Already, that is a huge hole if he's got a kid here. You are a thief and a criminal, you are not "doing the right thing." That would be heading home!

Our immigration enforcement is a joke and that's why we have the # of illegals we have here. Our population is spiraling out of control and it's ALL due to immigration.

Judy,
there's no way on God's green earth that they live in Manhattan. However, and this is amazing.........
they can get public assistance & SUBSIDIZED HOUSING......now listen cause this is rich
they can get a 3 bedroom LARGE apartment in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx for approx. $200 give or take a month with the city picking up the tab.
Many purchase several family house and squeeeeeeeeeze in extra families/people.

NYC ran an ad on the radio day after day for months for public assistance and UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS need not fear applying...the money is here for you.

No, one cannot survive on $10,000 in Manhattan and even a regular illegal day worker makes much more than that in the cities. But in order to get all your handouts, one cannot show an income of any substance. What a racket........and thank you Mr. Bloomberg for perpetuating the problem.

2amendsis--thanks for verifying. What a racket. And the one guy owns or rents a "shop in Manhattan". What do you think that rent bill is a month? These people disgust me. Cheating our system and because he finnagled a way to "get the shop", he cheated an American out of a nice little business who would have probably reported all this income and paid all his taxes; his own rent; and everything else. It's disgusting. Free-loaders one and all. Whew!!

Big deal. Some illegals pay a nominal amount in taxes.
What about the other services they are using? Who is paying for them?