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Massachusetts' Big Brother Tech to Watch Taxpayers

Posted by michael on from the be-good-for-goodness'-sake dept.

rocketjam writes "The Boston Globe reports that the Massachusetts state Revenue Department has launched a new technology offensive which strives to piece together all the stray bits of financial information about individual taxpayers that is contained in various public databases in order to catch tax cheats. The databases have been around for years, but technology has only recently enabled the state to assemble and review the information in a time-efficient manner. The so-called 'Discovery' initiative is already bringing in an additional $1 million a week. While denying the state is playing 'Big Brother', the Revenue Department Commissioner, Alan LeBovidge predicted the state may eventually be able to track so much financial information on individuals that the state could complete the citizens' returns for them."

4 of 578 comments (clear)

  1. Re:tough call by FooGoo · · Score: 0, Troll

    Not possible. Thats how politicians make themselves feel better.

    --
    People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them
  2. Not a chance! by digrieze · · Score: 0, Troll

    Does anyone think the Kennedys and Kerrys will let this happen? No way!

    --
    It doesn't matter what you wrap your emotions around, Reality is a brick wall specifically designed to scramble eggs
  3. Pork for the Stork by Safety+Cap · · Score: 1, Troll
    The Bush administration has exactly what effect on state government, again?
    Oh, little things like making block grant money available to "combat terrorism" and all a state or local government has to do is prove that they have a risk of terrorist attack.

    A local government can just say that protestors are terrorists, and the feds will give them a load of cash to spend on shiny new cops and stuff.

    So, if one were to define Tax Cheats as cousin to Osama, then BushCo will give money to help create your very own Total Information Awareness centre to fight the "'war' on terror."

    --
    Yeah, right.
  4. At a minimum ... by burgburgburg · · Score: 0, Troll
    Once.

    But since he was AWOL, that's a bit unlikely.

    Of course, he had to go AWOL because of all of that inconvenient drug testing. He knew he couldn't beat that (and keep partying like he was).