Report: A quarter of U.S. millionaires pay taxes at a lower rate than some in middle class, by Lori Montgomery, Washington Post, October 12/11

“A quarter of millionaires in the United States pay a smaller share of their income in federal taxes than many middle-class families, according to a new congressional analysis that offers fresh support for President Obama’s push to raise taxes on the nation’s wealthiest households.

“…All told, 94,500 millionaires paid a smaller share of their income in taxes than 10 million households with moderate incomes, the report found…”

Obama’s millionaire tax is class war, say Republicans, by Dominic Rushe, The Guardian, Sept 18/11

“Forthcoming ‘Buffett tax’ provokes fresh conflict between US president and rightwingers.

“US Republican leaders have accused president Barack Obama of “class warfare” as he prepares to unveil plans to increase taxes for millionaires…”

Counties turn some paved roads back to gravel, County News, National Association of Counties, Charles Taylor

“Several counties across the country are going back to the Stone Age — turning asphalt roads back to gravel, or considering doing so — as rising costs outstrip their ability to maintain their pavements.

“…County Engineer David Patterson, Washington County, Iowa, said, ‘Our ability to maintain our roads has diminished, particularly over the last 10 to 20 years as we’ve experienced cost increases and funding shortfalls.’…

“…With the resources it has, Sonoma County will continue to fill potholes on non-priority roads. However, “at some point, the roads not on a priority system, it will be just too costly to provide those safety improvements. At that time we’re probably going to pulverize them and turn them into gravel,” Demery said.

“That’s exactly what happened in Brown County, S.D., and not everyone was pleased. Public reaction was “extremely negative,” according to the county’s highway superintendent, when a section of road was downgraded to gravel. One resident complained, “What the h— are you doing with this road?” Schools voiced concerns about bus routes.

“There are some public relations issues that go along with unpaved versus paved roads,” said John Habermann, who heads up Indiana’s LTAP program and has conducted seminars about the revival of gravel roads titled “Back to the Stone Age.”