Posted April 15, 2025 – Y’all, gather ’round for a minute. Dean Burnette here, Louisiana born but planting my voting roots deep in Georgia soil.
You know, every now and again, that old Charley Reese column, “545 vs. 300,000,000,” pops up on the internet like a Whac-A-Mole. It’s been makin’ the rounds since before iPads were common as kudzu, talkin’ ’bout how just 545 folks in D.C. – Congress, the President, the Supreme Court – are the ones steerin’ this big ol’ ship, for better or worse. I first saw it circulate back when you needed dial-up and a prayer to get online.
He had a point, though, didn’t he? It’s easy to point fingers at “the system” or “lobbyists” or some vague “they,” but at the end of the day, the folks we elect are the ones holding the pen that writes the laws and the checks. They’re the ones who oughta answer for the potholes, the price of gas, and why tax forms seem more complicated than assembling IKEA furniture after three sweet teas.
Charley’s piece sure does get you thinking, especially when he lists all those taxes. It’s like reading the ingredients on a processed cheese slice – you know it’s not good for you, but you can’t quite believe how much stuff is packed in there.
Now, Charley made some solid points, didn’t he? He was slinging truth like a Southern cook dishes out gumbo. He nailed it: politicians often create problems and then ask us to fund the misguided solutions! He was right that, constitutionally speakin’, Congress holds the purse strings and writes the laws. The President proposes, but Congress disposes, as they say. And Lord knows, pointin’ fingers is the oldest sport in D.C., which sometimes makes UGA vs. Florida look like a friendly church social. Whether it’s deficits or taxes, it often feels like they campaign against the very things they help create. That part still rings truer than a church bell on Sunday morning.
Reese’s main thrust – that ultimate responsibility lies with those elected officials – is hard to argue with. Lobbyists can whisper sweet nothings, but it’s the politician who casts the vote. That hasn’t changed a lick since 2013, or 1913 for that matter.
staring
The poem at the end of that article says it all,
“Tax his land, tax his bed,
Tax the table he’s fed.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes are the rule.”
It’s a never-ending cycle. It makes you wonder where it all goes, doesn’t it?
As a proud Georgia voter who’s seen more tax seasons than I care to count, I figured it’s high time somebody put some real numbers to all this political pontificating.
So, let’s get down to brass tacks. Forget the poem and the list for a second (though that poem does make you chuckle nervously, don’t it?). Someone asked what the real tax bite looks like today for a family right here in Georgia. Let’s take a hypothetical family of four, livin’ down in beautiful Savannah, makin’ a combined $150,000 a year. What kinda tax bill are they starin’ at?
Now, listen up, this is important: Tax calculations are trickier than navigating Savannah’s squares after dark. This is a ballpark estimate, folks. Your actual taxes depend on a heap of things – deductions, credits, retirement contributions, healthcare specifics, whether you own your home, how much you spend on taxable goods, etc. Always talk to a qualified tax professional for real advice! This is just back-of-the-napkin math, Dean Burnette style.
Estimated Tax Breakdown for a Savannah Family of 4, $150k Income (Approx. 2023/2024 Rates):
1. Federal Taxes:
* Income Tax: After the standard deduction (Married Filing Jointly) and considering the Child Tax Credits ($2,000 per kiddo), they’d likely owe Uncle Sam somewhere in the neighborhood of $13,000 – $14,000.
* FICA (Social Security & Medicare): This is the flat 7.65% taken out of paychecks (plus the employer matches it). On $150k, that’s about $11,475.
* Total Federal Estimate: Roughly $24,500 – $25,500
2. Georgia State Taxes:
* Georgia’s got its own system. With state deductions/exemptions (Georgia moved to a flat tax rate recently, simplifying things a bit), that same $150k income might translate to a state income tax bill around $6,500 – $7,500. (Using the 2024 flat rate of 5.49% after deductions).
* Total State Estimate: Roughly $7,000
3. Local Taxes (Savannah/Chatham County): This gets fuzzy, depends heavily on lifestyle.
* Property Tax: HUGE variable. Depends entirely on the home’s assessed value. Let’s guess they live in a home valued around the Savannah median, maybe paying $4,000 – $5,000 a year. Could be much higher or lower.
* Sales Tax: Chatham County has a 7% sales tax (4% state + 3% local). How much does a family spend on taxable goods/services? Let’s estimate $2,500 – $3,500 annually, but this is a pure guess based on spending habits.
* Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT): Georgia has a one-time title tax, but there can be annual fees too depending on the vehicle. Let’s peg this low, maybe $300 – $500 annually on average if they aren’t buying new cars often.
* Total Local Estimate: Wide range, but let’s ballpark $7,000 – $9,000+
The Grand Total (Estimated):
Add it all up, and our Savannah family earning $150k is likely looking at a total tax burden (Federal + State + Local) somewhere in the ballpark of $43,200 per year.
That’s roughly 26% – 28% of their gross income walking out the door in taxes.
What Could That Family Do With $43,200?
• Pay off their mortgage 8 years early
• Fully fund college for both children
• Start a small business
• Buy a new car with CASH every year
• Take FOUR luxury vacations annually
But instead, it goes to Washington, Atlanta, and City Hall.
Now, I’m not saying we don’t need SOME government. Roads don’t pave themselves, and I for one appreciate a working sewer system. But sweet heavens above, when did we decide that ONE-THIRD of everything we earn belongs to the government?
Charley Reese’s frustration from way back when still resonates because, yeah, the tax bite is real, and government accountability is something we gotta keep hollerin’ about. Those 545 folks in D.C. (plus our state and local reps) do make the decisions that lead to these numbers. Figuring out the right amount of taxes and how they’re spent is the million-dollar question (or trillion-dollar, these days).
End of the day, Reese was right about one big thing: It’s on us, the voters, to pay attention, understand where our money’s goin’, and hold our elected officials accountable – from Washington D.C. down to the Chatham County Commission. Time we stopped letting them shift the blame to the “economy” or “politics.” It’s time we voted for folks who aren’t afraid to shake things up.
It’s about more than just taxes, it’s about what kind of country we want to leave for our children. As my grandaddy used to say, “The government’s like kudzu – if you don’t keep cutting it back, it’ll eventually take everything you’ve got.”
What do y’all think? Is it time we trimmed back some of this kudzu? So, let’s get to work, folks. Let’s show ’em that we ain’t gonna take it anymore.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, thinkin’ about all this makes me wanna go find some peach cobbler. Y’all stay safe out there.
Don’t just share the post; read up, show up, and vote smart.
Dean Burnette
Louisiana Bred, Georgia Registered, American Proud
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