This work is intended to raise the awareness level of all readers to the broad scope of taxes that we pay in a variety of forms to the federal, state and local governments in the United States. Most of the tax burdens that we live with are the result of our elected officials catering to special interest groups such as lobbyists, unions, major contributors and the like. Many social programs, including our entire education system, that are funded by our taxes in one form or another are loaded with scandal, abuse and waste. Regrettably, the majority of US citizens don't take the time or make any effort to develop a better understanding of how our tax dollars are raised by the different governmental bodies nor do they know where a substantial portion of the money is spent. This book makes an attempt to provide such basic information to the average taxpaying citizen about a broad range of taxes and fees we pay that have been worked into our lives by unchallenged legislation and related regulations. The cumulative effect of the current system, that has so invisibly emptied the pockets and pocket books of many, must be stopped. My hope is that every reader of this book will want to learn more and more about these tax abuses and other forms of widespread mismanagement and corruption on the part of our legislators that will motivate us all to put an end to their practices once and for all by taking their power from them.
DJ Golio is a senior financial executive working in the private sector. He started his professional career at Arthur Andersen & Co. in New York City and has since moved on to become CFO at several entities over the past 20 years. Mr. Golio was also an Adjunct Associate Professor for seven years at Pace University in New York City where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and also his MBA in Taxation. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in New York and presently employed as CFO at Medquist Inc. a leading provider of medical transcription services and a leader in technology-enabled clinical documentation workflow.