Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Look at me being all proactive

Remember the redevance audiovisuelle? It's the television tax you pay here every September. It actually comes on the same form as the taxe d'habitation which is a municipal renter's tax. I haven't received the form yet but I'm hopeful there will be a big box where I can put a big X to indicate that I don't have a television and will, therefore, not be paying the stupid television tax.

Apparently when you claim not to have a tv, and I say claim because when you tell people here you don't have a tv they look at you like you've got to be kidding, the television tax people threaten to inspect your home, looking for secret widescreen television hiding places.

How will I respond to such threats? Come on over, I'll say, chat with my kids, they'll tell you ALL about not having a tv. And then I'll tell you all about it too. How nice it is to see that buffet in the family room covered with plants instead of electronic equipment. How nice it is to have silence be the only background noise covering my children's voices.

I must be fair, the boys have actually adjusted quite well. They've taken to spending hours on end outside in our little front yard, inventing endless battles between dinosaurs and dragons, and doing whatever one does with duel master cards.

Oh and hey, speaking of taxes, it was pointed out to me, while I was heartily bitching about the Republican Party, that I should zip it until I paid my back taxes in the US. Ha! I've looked into it and the good news is I only have to file for the past 6 years and during that time, believe me, I was either pregnant at home or with a toddler at home or working vaguely part-time and earning way under the tax exclusion limits. So, I've called Paris, I've asked for the forms and I'm going to officialize myself. So I can officially continue bitching about the Republican Party. I am so looking forward to that.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least you can't say that Republic Party would tax people for owning a tv - you know I think you referred to it as "the stupid television tax". That being said, I'm glad to hear that your boys have adjusted to not having a tv - I don't know if my girls could do well without Elmo.

Nicole said...

Neither would the Democratic Party. Boy2 is not living without Elmo - dvds.

Anonymous said...

Help me understand how some who has such strong opinions about how jacked up we are especially the last 8 years has not felt the need to obey the law. How does it feel to be part of the problem-you have forfeited your right to bitch for the same amount of time you "forgot" to file taxes.

Anonymous said...

Nicole - one of the reasons I am more Rep than Dem is because the Dems answer is to always raise taxes - raise income tax, payroll tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax etc. . .and yet there are so many Americans NOT paying taxes - and (at least from my personal experience) it seems to be those Americans NOT paying their share in taxes or not paying taxes at all that are all in favor of raising taxes.

Nicole said...

Zeb - How am I part of the problem? I don't OWE any taxes, I just didn't file the paper work. And really, the US is one of the few countries that requires its expats to even file their taxes when they are working in another country. Let's be clear, this is income I'm earning in France and already paying taxes for in France. So basically we're talking about double taxation.

Beth - All of the Democrats I know pay taxes. And very few of them are in favor of raising taxes. There's a lot more at play here than just taxes.

Anonymous said...

You and I obviously know different people - all the dems I know are either on disability and are NOT disabled (but collect a nice size check from the state, oops, I mean taxpayers), or bought a huge house they couldn't afford, but blame GW for the reason they can't afford it or work for cash and do not pay taxes, yet want the gov't to fund all of the items they could benefit from - yet don't really admit that the gov't funding comes from tax dollars from people who pay taxes, unlike themselves.

Nicole said...

Beth- I'd suggest a change in social circles! All of the democrats I know are well-educated, self-reliant, intelligent and reasonable people who do not want something for nothing.

Anonymous said...

I know you don't owe taxes in the US and I know you pay French taxes but the law is the law. I don't get to not wear a seat belt because I don't feel like it, I don't get to drive drunk because I want to, not all laws are good but it is the law. If you want to be a US citizen then follow the law.

Nicole said...

Zeb - you are so full of it. And I'm only stating that because there may be some people reading this who might actually take you seriously. And FYI, the very nice woman I spoke to at the IRS said that, in fact, I had not broken any laws under their specifics regarding expats. Which is why, update since yesterday, I don't have to file for any years except for 2007.

Got skype yet? The boys are dying to call you on it.

Anonymous said...

No I don't have skype just getting over my internet and phone issues I have been at war with Comcast, I am pretty close to having my own service tech.

And just for the record princess 2007 income tax filing deadline was April 15th what day is it today?

Nicole said...

Zeb - Who's winning that war? And for the record, sweet brother, filing deadlines aren't the same for out of country citizens. I'm still not even close to breaking the law.

Anonymous said...

Nicole since politics has become the topic of the day your statement of-All of the democrats I know are well-educated, self-reliant, intelligent and reasonable people who do not want something for nothing. Is probably true for you but when looking at the breakdown of who normally votes for the democratic party in the united states a very large number would fall into the category Beth mentions. I am all good in being on opposite sides on this since we have been there since you were born but lets not pretend that the democrats are all the salt of the earth and don't want anything for free. Look at the statitics of those with income under $15000 who vote for each party. What % of welfare people vote democratic 90, 95, 99. It has been this way since JFK, it was this way when Carter left office and unemployment was double digits and interest rates were in double digits for buying a house. If the only people who voted for your guy were: well-educated, self-reliant, intelligent and reasonable people who do not want something for nothing he would not carry enough votes to win an election in Joliet.

By the way love ya

Nicole said...

Zeb - I wasn't trying to imply that they were - only that the population of democrats is easily as varied as the population of republicans.

Anonymous said...

Maybe I need new social circles - but it seems that no matter what circle I've ever been in - all of my friends who work for cash are always democrat - and some of the even go so far as to brag how since they don't make money according to their non existant W2 - they are entitled to assistance from the state and in the same sentence brag how they cleared $$$$ this week - all cash. There are a lot of people like that - most are very well educated - but I am tired of this entitlement feeling that most of them seem to have. In fact, several of them feel entitled to have expensive cars, several flat screen tvs and take multiple vacations, buy a bigger house, wear $150 pairs of jeans - yet claim they can't afford medical insurace - but vote democrate so the hopefully the state's tax payers will pay their med insurance thru universal healthcare.

Nicole said...

Beth - the last thing you want to start talking about with me is entitlement - because the Republicans take the cake for that, they seem to believe they're entitled to make personal 'moral' decisions for me, decide what god it is correct to believe in, what 'proper family values' are...

As for these people you know, I'm so sorry you're surrounded by such poor examples of Democrats. The point I was trying to make is that, thankfully, they're not all like that. Most of my friends are democrats and they all work and they all pay taxes on what they earn.

Anonymous said...

Nicole, I've been in this country my entire life and no one has ever told me what "God" I need to believe in - but I certainly don't get offended if someone says Happy Chanukah - I feel that people are just too "out there" when it comes to this - how can someone actually get offended if you say Merry Christmas - you're basically wishing them good will and a happy season weather they honor Christmas or not. And as far as family values go, even your guy states that we need more of them. I know that everyone is not going to be on the same page and that is one of things I love about this country - but entitlment on a daily, personal level is huge - a lot of people I know feel entitled to such things that I mentioned earlier - remember the saying "keeping up with the Jones", well that seems to be the American way for a lot of people and that's the type of entitlement I'm talking about - when they feel entitled to buy all these little extra expensive things then blame the economy for why they can't afford their house payment as they live in their new big house. Personal Choices. And, I'm not saying everyone is like this, but I personally know over a dozen people on disability and not one of them are actually disabled - they've just figured out that it's easier to collect from the state than work adn they are all voting democrat - I know so many people who work for cash and collect state benefits - and I don't want to fund more money into the gov't when the system is not working and so many millions of people are taking advantage of our system and of the people are actually paying taxes. Our local hospital is on the verge of closing and it's because of all the illegals who come to the ER and then don't pay their bill (one of which is my neighbor - he drives a one year old Cadillac Escalade (sp) - he says that he deserves his Escalade becaues he works hard every day - which he does - for a landscaping business that he gets paid cash for - I know the hospital info for a fact becasue my husband is on the board - it's stuff like this that drives me crazy!
But, you will always be my favorite democrat.

Nicole said...

Beth - By involving their version of god in governmental policies and decisions, they are in fact doing just that.

And you and Zeb are my favorite Republicans.

Anonymous said...

I think we are just going to have to agree that we disagree! But, I like how Zeb thinks!!

Anonymous said...

Nicole, I wish I had read this sooner. It was quite interesting. I have only one question. As a Democrat, shouldn't you be rooting for the White Sox? Afterall, most Cub fans are Tribune reading Republicans.

It seems like things are getting better. I'm happy for you.