Joe The Plumber: Not A Tax Expert

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. "Joe the Plumber," is the topic of the day on the campaign trail, in part because he held an impromptu press conference Thursday morning in front of his house to discuss tax policy, his disdain for Social Security, and his critiques of Barack Obama.

Already, however, there is some dispute as to whether or not Wurzelbacher was being accurate with his critique of Obama. His business, as ABC reports, would almost certainly get a tax cut under Obama's plan, given that he does not expect to make anywhere close to $250,000 in profits.

Moreover, for someone worried about his taxes, Wurzelbacher doesn't -- it appears - always pay them. A filing with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas shows that he has had state tax liens filed against him, meaning he was either delinquent or didn't fully cover taxes that he owed.

A representative at the court explained that Wurzelbacher had not paid $1,182.98 of personal income tax. The state filed a lien on January 26, 2007, and the payment remains outstanding. But the court rep also cautioned that this all may have occurred without Wurzelbacher's knowledge.

"We get hundreds of state liens every day and we don't have to make a judgment on them. We are just putting in there what the state says is owed. We don't notify that person and neither does the state. If there was activity on this lien, if they attempted to collect it on this case - which they haven't -- it would show up. But I am 99.9 percent positive that he doesn't even know about this."

Tax-issues aside, the "Joe-the-Plumber" fervor seems to be spreading beyond small town Ohio. On the streets of Manhattan this morning, a plumbing company car was spotted with a "Joe The Plumber For President" poster on its side.

But before Obama supporters fret about losing the plumber vote, it's worth noting that the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters has endorsed the Illinois Democrat, in part because the union thinks he has the best economic agenda for its members.

"Obama will help us keep existing jobs and work to develop new, higher paying jobs here in America, reform our health care system, fix our ailing schools and make sure that the pensions of our retirees are safe," the union said.

Comments

[Thefamilyvan]

Poor Joe! He'll be even POORER if he votes Republican in this next election.... and as dumb as he is, he'll blame his misfortunes on the Democrats who are trying to help him! I say, let him pull himself up by his bootstraps. Don't give him any help Obama and by the way.... TAKE JOE'S TAX CREDIT AND GIVE IT TO MORE DESERVING AMERICANS. He doesn't believe in paying his share... whether it's fair or not. He feels that what he's earned is HIS. He'll not get wealthy that way..... and please let me make a note of it to tell my friends in Ohio not to call Joe the Plumber when they have a leak! Call a LICENSED plumber.

[BinKbar]

Obama has not defined a small business - and a lot of money rides on that unanswered question. The consequences of his plans, plus and minus, go beyond income taxes for business people whose earnings are in the vicinity of a quarter million.

[Nikola Tesla]

Obama has been clear about his plan FROM THE BEGINNING!

http://taxcut.barackobama.com/

As opposed to McCain who just makes shitup.

[Thefamilyvan]

Guess what BinKbar... MY FAMILY HAS OWNED BUSINESSES FOR YEARS! ...... and they are Pro Obama! Not like JOE THE PLUMBER WHO DREAMS OF OWNING ONE! And.....THEY ARE LIVING QUITE WELL, in spite of paying their FAIR SHARE OF TAXES! They like Obama.... not like the others who THINK THEY UNDERSTAND......... and fall for the okeedoke!

[Nikola Tesla]

98% of small businesses make LESS THAN $250,000.

[JiminNC]

Joe - you have been outed -

[TKFraz]

MEET AL the plumber!!!!!

A REAL PLUMBER discusses why his business needs Obama!!!!!!

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/31112804.html?video=pop&t=a&brand=mkevideo

[BinKbar]

Is Ohio a right to work state?

[mazees]

Not a tax expert, and apparently, also not a plumber. (See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27221645/).

Joe, turns out, is some kind of plumber's helper, making $40K per year, as of 2006, who has no actual intention of buying a plumbing business, which incidentally only had a revenue (NOT profit) of $100K last year.

Joe is a liar. Who has now had his 15 minutes of fame.

[musselmanm]

Joe the plumber is not a plumber! I went to school for 5 years and did an apprenticship at work also for 5 years. I had to take plumbing tests for 35 years to remain a journeyman plumber.
Plumbers protect the sanitary health of our nation1
Joe the plumber is an unqualified construction worker. Why does the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters not bring this out?
Joe the nothing is just like hiring a unlicensed contractor. he is a rip off. The company he works for is charging Journeyman plumber rates for substandard work.

[BIG JOHN]

LET ME SEE, GOOD OLD JOE IS ONLY A PLUMMER MAKING WHAT 50 GRAND MAX. HEY JOE YOU DUMMIE YOU GET A TAX BREAK FROM OBAMA, OK JOE LET'S SAY YOU START YOUR BUSINESS AND MAKE 250 GRAND, HEY JOE, THATS TAXABLE INCOME, THAT WOULD MEAN YOU MADE WAY OVER 250 GRAND. JOE IF YOU MAKE A FLAT 250 YOUR TAXABLE INCOME IS GOING TO FALL WELL UNDER THAT, JOE YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. TAKE BOTH HANDS GRAB YOUR EARS AND PULL, YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR AS- THEN GO GET A PLUMMERS LICENCE.

[Nikola Tesla]

The republican party wants to DISENFRANCHISE JOE THE FAKE PLUMBER!

They want to purge him from the voter rolls!

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Purging_Joe_the_plumber.html?showall

[melled]

My ex-husband and I owned a plumbing company for 5 years. We GROSSED $250,000 that 5th year. Deduct all of the expenses (employees, trucks, supplies, etc.) and we were left with $60,000 in income for us. That is what Joe would be earning if he owned his own plumbing co. If he understood the basics of business finance, Joe would understand that Obama's tax plan, not McCain's, would benefit him.

[UtahLady]

Just heard that Joe the Plumber isn't a licensed plumber.

[bennybeaver]

So, this matters how?
Maybe we should look into the possibilty he is an undercover plant, maybe he has ties to terrorist, maybe he works for the evil oil cartel, maybe the rich Rebulicans sent him to destroy all that is good in America,, ooh cool stuff. .

[Thefamilyvan]

No... Joe is just an idiot!

[BinKbar]

Ohio doesn't require a residential plumber working for a licensed plumbing contractor to have a licenses. Joe does not OWN the plumbing contracting business he wants to BUY. If he should buy the business then he will have to have the license to continue , But not until.

[freddynono]

you don't need a license to be a plumber in the state of Ohio

[Nikola Tesla]

You do in HIS COUNTY!

[stuckintx]

No wife, no girlfriend (big surprise) and no understanding of the tax plans. With your ineptitude of math, don't worry, you'll NEVER make a 1/4 mill a year.

And when you invest your SS into the market that on its knees, who is going to bail your ignorant butt out? Don't look at gov't. You already have parents, remember?

But thanks for the reminder that the really dumb can be counted on to be really dumb.

[Nikola Tesla]

That buff body and the shaved head leads me to believe Joe likes men.

[All57States]

Psst...I heard Joe is involved in the Jimmy Hoffa disapperance. Pass it on to your loon friends.

[bennybeaver]

Who the hell really cares, get over it. Joe the plummer is not running for office!

[Nikola Tesla]

NO ONE remembers who Jimmy is, grandpa.

[bennybeaver]

I do, those who are ingnorant of history are doomed to repeat it.

[parvo63]

So, Libs are so concerned about Joe not supporting Obama that they've started digging for his dirty underware? I understand you, Libs... The middle class is showing you a middle finger.

[cindyw]

I'm feeling a little sorry for Joe, but McCain's the one who put him in the spotlight. McCain should have done some vetting before he fell in love with a guy who hasn't paid his taxes and made him the focal point of his debate. I guess McCain can empathize with Joe, since McCain forgot to pay some of his taxes too.

[Thefamilyvan]

Who are you referring to as Libs?????? If the media.... sorry, but they do their jobs, right, or left, wrong or right. But Conservatives shrink at the truth and praise lies and deceit. It's all about control of the little guy Joe Republican. Keep them dumb and ignorant so they agree with the rich guys agenda... even though they'll never play with you! The middle class has decided to open their eyes to see what the last 8 years of conservative Republican politics has done to them.... they finally get it. They're not rich, not on wall street... and they're hurting but are too proud to admit it until now.

[jqcitizen]

The two things that seemed important to 'Joe' was that his son had been interviewed by the Press and that he seemed to be embarrassed that he finally found out he was a 'Yankee' and not from LA (as in Louisiana).

PLUMBER! -Sounds like a word from the Nixon-G.Gordon Liddy era.

[Nikola Tesla]

Joe is NOT a licensed plumber!

http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed2/idUSN1639355520081016

The REAL "JOE THE PLUMBERS" and their Unions SUPPORT OBAMA!

[musselmanm]

Vote Union Yes!
Protect the health of your family by hiring a plumber that is qualified to pass a journeyman test.
He is Joe the laborer that they charge journeyman rates for.

[BinKbar]

Ohio doesn't require a residential plumber working for a licensed plumbing contractor to have a licenses. Joe does not OWN the plumbing contracting business he wants to BUY. If he should buy the business then he will have to have the license to continue , But not until.

[chickcheney]

Is Joe the plumber a fraud? He has no immediate plan to buy a business and does that business even make 250,000 a year? And even if it did, Joe wouldn'. And he's not even a licensed plumber and as I understand it, that's illegal in the county he's working in?

[BinKbar]

Wrong, See above for Ohio License info.

[Rictracee]

Joe just another dumb white back woods man, who only knows a trade, cant understand that Obama's taxs will NOT EFFECT HIM AT ALL.. but ignorance is bliss.