Does Trump pay taxes?

A lot of fuss has been made about Donald Trump refusing to release his tax returns. People claim it’s because he doesn’t pay any or he has something to hide. These people need to sit back and take a deep breath.

First of all, he’s not obligated to release anything. Secondly, Trump is not your average taxpayer. He’s an international developer and his tax returns are much more involved than ours. But the notion he doesn’t pay taxes is ludicrous.

As a developer, he has many employees. Each of the employees received a paycheck. On each of these checks are tax deductions such as federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare and state. The total amount of these deductions on each check must be matched by the developer (Trump). In addition to these taxes, every quarter the developer must pay a percentage of the total payroll amount of that quarter, about 2 percent towards unemployment insurance and workers compensation.

And these taxes only include once the project becomes operational. Prior to that, there is sales tax paid for materials purchases for actual construction, payroll taxes for the laborers, as well as fees paid towards various permits, licenses and inspections. All these monies paid benefit the area of that particular project.

So does Donald Trump sit at his desk every April 15 and write a check to the IRS? Probably not every year. But, trust me, he pays taxes. He even generates them. And I dare say more than Hillary ever has.

— Alan Gilmour

Salisbury

Obama’s third term

The September issue of “Decision” magazine, a publication of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, should be seriously read by all American citizens — Christian and non-Christians — especially those voting. I pray you will find answers in this well-informed, Christian, God-given magazine, answers that include common sense, spiritual-Biblical truth, etc., that we have not received these past eight years under this administration.

We are experiencing a slow destruction of our freedoms including religion, through radical Islamic terrorist actions to replace our Christian beliefs with their beliefs, replacing democracy with socialism and constitutional rights and capitalism.

No longer do we have any life that respects and honors self or God. All our cherished freedoms will be no more if American citizens vote in Hillary Clinton as president.

The movie, “Hillary’s America,” presents evidence where Obama speaks about how he knew he needed two terms to be able to make big change in America, adding plans for Hillary to be the next president to continue his plans to change us even more under their policies and corruption.

According to “Decision” magazine’s message, Hillary as president would be the death of our America and the freedoms we have cherished since our forefathers gave us laws to protect us through godly leadership and godly views and departments under government.

Only God has the answers for all our needs and problems.

If you really care about the saving grace of our country of Godly freedoms, then use your heartfelt God-given free will, remembering that voting requires responsibility and accountability that we have not had with our big government these past eight years. We do not have to follow in their footsteps.

As Decision magazine says, “Secular progressivism has frayed the moral fabric of America. Religious freedom is trampled underfoot.”

In God we trust.

— Carol Cauble

Salisbury