Group Wants To Banish IRS

Tuesday is tax day and millions of Americans will get their returns in at the last minute. Some would like to get rid of the IRS and replace it with what they're calling The Fair Tax, a national sales tax. News On 6 Anchor Craig Day talked to the nation's leading proponents of the Fair Tax, radio host Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder, back in February. On Tuesday, Day takes a look at the grassroots effort in Oklahoma.

Every year, it's the same old thing. Last minute tax filers rush to the post office. One group believes it has the answer to long lines, confusing tax code, endless forms and frustration, and it gets rid of the IRS at the same time: the Fair Tax.

"One of the things that motivates me is the IRS, they're just absolutely unfair," said State Director, Bill Harrington.

Much of the Fair Tax grass roots effort in Oklahoma is done around dinner tables like the one at Bill Harrington's Collinsville home. Harrington is Oklahoma's State Director for the Fair Tax, which is a nationwide sales tax. He says there's a lot of support in Oklahoma.

"They're tired of all the loopholes that we have in the present system. They're tired of a $67,000 page document that nobody understands," said Harrington.

Under the Fair Tax, income, corporate and other taxes, would be eliminated. Instead, we would keep everything we earn, and only pay a national sales tax on things we buy.

"Nobody pays any taxes up to the poverty level. And then it's based on your spending habits of how much tax you pay," said Harrington.

Harrington says Oklahoma has nearly 100 Fair Tax community leaders statewide, and 30,000 people who have expressed interest in volunteering.

"I think they're just looking for a way to support their government, but in a fair manner," said Harrington.

Harrington says grass roots support is what it will take to make the Fair Tax a reality. He looks forward to the day when there will no longer be any forms to fill out, confusing tax code, and no last minute hassles of getting returns in on time.

Opponents of the Fair Tax plan don't think a national sales tax would generate enough money to fund government.

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