ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, April 19, 1997               TAG: 9704210115
SECTION: EDITORIAL                PAGE: A-9  EDITION: METRO 
                                             TYPE: BRIEFLY PUT ...

ARE PROPONENTS OF A FLAT TAX PAPERING OVER POSSIBLE DRAWBACKS?

IN ZEALOUSLY arguing for a flat tax to replace the graduated federal income tax, the Heritage Foundation takes aim at the paperwork generated by the current complicated code. The 8 billion pages of paper needed each year for filing income taxes causes 293,760 trees to be cut down, the conservative think-tank asserts.

"Could it be that a flat tax would not only save the lives of all these trees, but also help save the spotted owl and other endangered species from extinction?" a recent background paper asks.

What? And destroy the timber industry, throwing thousands of people out of work and driving up the cost of lumber, possibly starting an inflationary cycle in the building industry that would threaten the U.S. economy?

Sounds like the nation dare not risk any type of tax reform.

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