Sometimes a contractor or service-provider will ask if I’d rather pay in cash. The implication is that a cash transaction can be done without tax – and either or both of us can “save” some money.

What’s not said, in these exchanges is: Hey, want to cheat on our taxes together?

No thanks. I’ll pay the tax. I enjoy the schools, the roads, public broadcasting corporation.

I don’t have some sort of extra-strong moral muscle. It makes me sad that people see the collective pie as something they can skim from, no matter how little the amount. It makes me double-sad that they assume others want to as well, because they’re probably right – others do want to as well. It makes triple-sad that some think you’d be a fool not to.