SACRAMENTO—If you knew a tax cheat, would you rat him out for a cut of the money he owes the state?

Teacher Erin Ashton said “It seems sleazy and slimy.” That was the general reaction FOX40 News found when we asked people how they felt about snitching on those who owe the state tax money. State Controller Steve Westly says the plan has the Governor’s support. It would pay you ten percent of the unpaid taxes collected by the State Franchise Tax Board for anyone you turn in.

The Franchise Tax Board is behind this program, yet officials declined to comment on the plan Monday. Plenty of others *did react. Ed Balm, a student, told us “You got the small man getting the burden again, and instead of the tax being collected on the larger corporations you’re putting the burden on you and me, the small guy. And Erin Ashton said “I just couldn’t do that to people, I know that taxes need to be paid.”

Lew Uhler is President of the National Tax-Limitation Foundation. He says the problem is with Steve Westley and the state Controller’s office. “They ought to be shaping up the way his office operates before they encourage California citizens to rat on one another.”

If the plan gets legislative approval, the Tax Board could implement it by July 1st. The goal is to help recoup some of the 6.5 billion dollars in uncollected tax money.

___

Visit FOX40 at www.fox40.com