Don't Worry...We'll Take Care of It...

Does this scare anyone?

California Controller Steve Westly is looking into a new state program called ReadyReturn that would allow a government office to complete your taxes with personal information, salary info etc. and then send it back to you. Essentially, it's government-style TURBOTAX. It is still new, so it's tough to draw conclusions. But a few quick thoughts:

1. How long until this program will cost the taxpayer a lot of money? Oh the irony.

2. Is this an intrusion of privacy? Government employees assuming your rights as a taxpayer.

3. What's margin of error here? California is a highly-populated state with a lot of new residents and...well..immigrants. How updated/factual will this personal information be? More importantly, will Californians diligently check that information before sending in the returns?

4. This is not my idea of an "ownership" society. Aren't we trying to promote responsibility and active participation on taxes?

This idea may not go far...then again it might considering it's a goldmine for California's revenue. Either way, if I were a Californian, I'd be skeptical.