Dec 5, 2017 1 min read

I am having difficulty with this week’s online poll. The question asks if I am excited about the tax proposals and the answer is “yes, I am.” However, I am not excited in a good way.

Middle income people who do not itemize and use the standard deduction may actually fare a little better, especially if they have health insurance through work and are not subject to the higher ACA premiums. Those who itemize are sure to suffer. Most of the deductions used in previous years will be gone.

Some of the worst hit will be small business owners, especially those who operate from their homes. This will affect in-home beauty salons, some contractors, mechanics, repair people, seamstresses, on and on. These are many of the local businesses that we use and depend and they may be forced to close.

The few billionaires and big corporations in the area, should I say very few, are the only ones who will truly benefit from these tax proposals.

Please consider making next week’s poll a question as to weather we approve/disapprove or like/dislike the proposed tax bills. I will still be excited in a bad way next week.

Deborah Mains

Uniontown