TAX FREEDOM DAY GIVES LITTLE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE

Today you're "free." That's because today is what the Tax Foundation calls "Tax Freedom Day." Under the foundation's premise, the equivalent of earnings between Jan. 1 and May 7, goes to pay off local, state and federal taxes. Everything earned today through Dec. 31 is "yours."

If spread out throughout the year, the typical employee will work 2 hours and 49 minutes of each eight-hour workday to pay 1991 taxes, according to the foundation.

The concept goes a long way to explaining Americans' general frustration with taxes. It means that, on the average, one-third of everything we earn goes to pay for government services. With that much of a stake in government, it's no wonder people are angry about bureaucracy and waste.

And each year, that point of tax freedom marches blindly backward. This is the latest date on record in which workers could settle their tax score. This "freedom day" occurs with April 15 tax deadline day still fresh in most people's minds.

Again and again, politicians have promised to try to cut the national deficit and live within their means. Meanwhile, the deficit has soared to record levels. Over the past two years alone, the federal deficit has more than doubled to $318 billion. While regular people must learn to live within their family budget, or go bust, the government simply prints more money. That inequity boils the blood of most Americans.

And this runaway spending is not just limited to the federal level, although the feds are certainly the worst offenders. By law, Missouri cannot spend into deficit, but lawmakers easily put state growth, windfalls, and other increased income to quick use. In the last 10 years, Missouri's budget has more than doubled to $9 billion.

Congress is working on Fiscal Year 1992's budget. It's safe to say that unless more stringent budget controls are adopted, such as line item veto and balanced budget requirements, it will be just more of the same. If more is better, politicians seem to believe that more and more and more is better yet.

Irresponsible spending and bloated government must be slowed, and hopefully one day reversed. Until then, most taxpayers will probably find little to celebrate about today's "freedom."