Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2008 > October > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USResidents offer aid to shoeshine man
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Things didn’t turn out so swell for Lawrence Hardnett the last time someone dropped by his shoeshine stand to talk about his taxes.
That was back in 2006, when the Internal Revenue Service audited his business. Based on income estimates Hardnett provided, the agency calculated the shoeshine man owed Uncle Sam almost $90,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest.
Hardnett knew he owed the government. After all, he’s been shining shoes for decades, starting at 12 years old in his home state of Ohio. He took it upon himself five years ago to start filing income tax returns after years of neglect.
In recent months, Hardnett has struggled to make monthly payments to the IRS as agreed upon. The economic drought has hurt his business, which he operates out of Bennie’s Shoes in Norcross. He fell behind on his mortgage, too. The IRS replaced a federal lien on the house in Lawrenceville he shares with his wife, Laura.
Last week, I wrote about Hardnett’s situation in this space. Some readers chided Hardnett for what they called his lack of personality responsibility. He should have been paying all along, they wrote. Most people, though, were outraged that the screws were being applied to a shoeshine man.
Hardnett never wanted a bailout a la Wall Street. He just wanted a little understanding, some help in dealing with the IRS. It appears he might get it.
Thursday, yet another person stopped by Hardnett’s stand to talk about his finances. Only it wasn’t an IRS tax man. It was a certified public accountant with good news.
“He said there is something that can be worked out about this,” said Hardnett, 58, who provided the accountant with paperwork related to the lien and his $175-a-month payment plan. “He said there may be hope for my situation.”
I contacted the accountant, who had offered his help at no charge. He declined to be identified for this column, but says he is a former IRS employee with 30 years of experience. He and two colleagues plan to help Hardnett file an appeal. If nothing else, the hope is to get the monthly payments reduced to a more palatable amount.
If their efforts fail, Hardnett said he’d press on, pay what he can when he had it.
“I have to accept this and deal with it,” he said.
In addition to the offer of free representation, Hardnett has received phone calls and letters from people across metro Atlanta. Many have sent money — $15 and $20, the occasional $100 check.
One woman dropped by his stand and pressed a check in his hand. He asked her what could he do in return. She said she might need him to run a few errands some day or pick up some groceries for her on his way home.
Of course I will,” he said. “The American people have come to my rescue.”
Permalink | Comments (32) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Sloan
October 18, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
hahahaha
“She said she might need him to run a few errands some day or pick up some groceries for her on his way home.”
That’s classic. So technicaly, shouldn’t the guy be paying taxes on the amount she gave him as well? Especialy if he’s doing odd jobs for the money, like pimping himself out as a helper to these people that pay him.
Can we move on to something else now? 2 days of this same story is 48 hours too much.
By NOWICUNVME
October 18, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
AMEN! For He is a Mighty God indeed. This is really what it’s all about. What really matters and what really counts. True, good natured American people always band together for one another and try to assist those in need. Again, you never ever know if you might be in need of empathetic hand one day. Let the misfortune of others be a constant reminder not to take your current prosperity for granted at any time.
By Michael H. Smith
October 18, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this
Perhaps “Lawrence the Shoeshine-man” should have made it into the Presidential debate. I mean, John McCain has “Joe the Plumber” right? Petty sake though, “Lawrence the Shoeshine-man” would have to under go more public vetting than a potential White House Cabinet Appointee. Katie Couric and CBS camera crews would wake him up in the morning and put him to bed at night. The cable-news talking-heads would all ask, who is he and what do we really know about Lawrence? Does he have a business license, is he insured, does he belong to a union? Did he ever serve an apprenticeship in a union? Can he buy the shoe store? After all, inquiring minds want to know and bloggers need red meat.
Barack Obama could then fire back at John McCain every time he brought up his good friend “Joe the Plumber”, reminding Senator McCain that it is the failed Bush economy, policies of lies and decent, down right fraud and laws never enforced that drove away all the paying customers “Lawrence the Shoeshine–man” once could count on for an income; and now that a greedy Congress in quest of votes to get re-elected after passing a $850 billion bailout of Wall Street hoping it will trickle down on Main Street, that Barack’s good friend “Lawrence the Shoeshine–man” needs a flood from the bottom-up. “Lawrence the Shoeshine–man” can’t wait on a few drops from above and another shower of rebate checks just won’t do.
After the few dollars and coins of others able to help runs out – for good Christian charity can only go so far and for so long, before it disappears – the Joes’ and Lawrences’ of this country, obscure relatively otherwise unknown citizens in a sea of Americans, the little guys, will still need a tax cut, have tax debt to pay, a light bill, a gas bill, a phone bill and a house payment due. While the political titans continue to battle, they will suffer.
So there it is once again Mr. Badie, “When elephants fight it is the grass that suffers”.
By Joe the Thumber
October 18, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this
I wear Nike’s, but I wish the shoeshine man well.
By LT5000
October 18, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Barack loved his money coming in from Freddie and Fannie May. Then his photo op went awry when he met Joe the Plumber.
Blowbama showed what a true Marxist he is by telling Joe “We want to spread the wealth around”. i.e redistribution of wealth. Somewhere Chairman Mao and Lenin are smiling.
Maybe the AJC can replace Blubbering Badie with Hardnett, it certainly would be more readable.
Now get your F** shinebox Badie.
LT5000
By NOWICUNVME
October 18, 2008 10:04 PM | Link to this
Just because He’s Black
A white man asked his black friend, 'Are you voting for Barack Obama just because he's black'? The black man responded by saying, why not? In this country men are pulled over everyday just cause they are black, passed over for promotions just cause they are black, considered to be criminals just cause they are black, and there are going to be thousands of you who won't be voting for him just cause he's black! However, you do not seem to have a problem with that!This country was built with the sweat and that was whipped off the back of black slaves, and now a descendant of those same slaves has a chance to lead the same country, where we weren’t even considered to be people, where we weren’t allowed to be educated, drink from the same water fountains, eat in the same restaurants, or even vote, so you’re darn right I’m going to vote for him!
But it's not just because he's black, but because he is hope, he ischange, and he now allows me to understand that when my grandson says he wants to be president when he grows up, it is not a fairy tale but a short term goal, Because he sees, understands, and knows, he can achieve, withstand, and do anything just because he’s black!
By lt5000
October 19, 2008 1:50 AM | Link to this
NOWICUNVME
Blacks shouldn’t be surprised when they get pulled over by the cops. They commit crimes at 5 times the rate of white people.
You don’t get promotions when you only have a high school diploma.
America was built on the ingenuity of Americans (i.e. people who came to America to live a dream), not on the backs of slaves.
Remember what Muhammed Ali said when he went to Zaire? “I’m glad they brought my grandaddy to America”.
It’s time for the black community to stop pointing the finger at Whitey as the source of their problems and start looking into their own souls.
Why can asians and Africans can come to America and have their own business in 3 years, but people given a free education can’t?
LT5000
By neocon
October 19, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this
Those of us who are familiar with neoconservative philosophical views know that we “spread the wealth around” all the time. When we use tax monies to fund the National Institute of Health, the CDC, the Public Health Service, we use spread the wealth around. When we use tax monies to fund education, interstate highways, the U. S. Army, Navy, Air Force, we “spread the wealth around.”
When we bailout banks whose greedy executive make 300 or 400 times what the average worker does in a firm, we spread the wealth around—700 billion dollars roughly and growing.
When we have an Immigration and Naturalization Service, we spread the wealth. Who benefits most from good roads, the Defense Department, etc.? Those with the most wealth. Shouldn’t they pay more for those services than the poor? The “shoeshine man” tried to be honest, even if he never paid taxes. If we punish people too severely for trying to be honest in paying back taxes, we run the risk of scaring them into never reporting. Is that really what we want? Shouldn’t the IRS be negotiating a settlement with this man? And don’t they frequently negotiate such settlements? Good government costs money. Yes, everyone should pay taxes and their fair share, but we should think about how rational it is to adopt Draconian measures to punish people too severely when we really don’t know what their responsibility was in the past? How does the IRS know that this individual really made enough money to owe $90,000 in back taxes?
By Mark
October 19, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxXY6VscPnQ
By "That One"
October 19, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this
Best to honest before the fact than after you get caught.
By Crystal
October 19, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this
“and now a descendant of those same slaves has a chance to lead the same country”
Obama’s black side were never slaves.
By NOWICUNVME
October 19, 2008 7:07 PM | Link to this
Crystal Awwwww, you needing some attention too? First of all what the flip do you know about Obamas roots?? Second of all, straight out of Webster’s New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition; Descendant 1. a person who is an offspring, however remote, of a certain ancestor, family, group, etc. 2. something that derives from an earlier form….Thirdly and Lastly I was speaking figuratively and all I did was copy and paste to make a point. Which by the way, what is Your point? Or do you even have one?? No?? That’s exactly what I thought. Enough Said. I’m done with you too, you’re dismissed!!
By Crystal
October 19, 2008 7:35 PM | Link to this
First, who the flip are you to dismiss me?
I couldn’t care less who you do or don’t vote for and why. All I did was make a statement reported in this newspaper about your all mighty socalist messiah and you lose your mind. My POINT was you were wrong about the descendant of slaves comment. You could have politely responded with a “I was speaking figuratively” comment and didn’t have to get so riled up. I don’t think I said anything that deserved the attack you threw all over me. But, now I see you are the only one who is allowed to say anything on this blog.
I really liked the conversation you had with yourself, though, “Which by the way, what is Your point? Or do you even have one?? No?? That’s exactly what I thought. Enough Said” Thanks, I got a good chuckle out of that.
By Roger
October 19, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
All I can say, is that Obama is elected president than I don’t want to hear one more black person crying about how unfair the country is to them. You have made the big time, you’ve reached the highest job in the country, leader of the free world. Now you can get a job and start trying to fit into society like a normal person.
Game over.
By justmyopionion
October 19, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
ROGER The black people will then say that he was half-white so they really didn’t get anything and the white people are still unfair to them.
By BW
October 19, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this
Colin Powell endorsed Obama today, remember him? Sec. of State under Fearless Leader, head of the Joint Chiefs, one of the designers and commanders of the first Iraq war, the one we won. Kind of hard to knock both isn’t it, you just may end up with dirty sheets.
By What are you an idiot
October 19, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
LT -
Your comments are every bit as desperate as McCain’s.
Don’t engage in a rational disagreement or argument. Instead head off into the weeds and insult others. Ignore others remarks when the facts don’t match your predispositions (like McCain getting many times more $$ from Freddie and Fannie execs and lobbyists).
Come on LT, isn’t it time you disparaged someone’s mother? Your man McCain isn’t quite there yet but there’s still a couple of weeks to go.
By justmyopionion
October 19, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
I don’t know how much McCain got from Freddie and Fannie but my research indicated that Obama got either the 2nd or 3rd most in over a 10 year period and he’s only been in office 2 years so I don’t think McCain came anywhere close to getting “many times more $$”.
By NOWICUNVME
October 19, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
My research tells me that you can’t even spell your own screen name correctly. The first time I excused it as a “typo”. This time, your OPIONION doesn’t count.
By Joe the Thumber
October 20, 2008 5:44 AM | Link to this
Now I see, you better hope he doesn’t mispell YOUR name, if’n you be digg’n what I be intimatin’ 2U this day.
College Football Weekend Blast! I like a Bulldog win as much as the next CEO, but Tech fans are the most virulent and loyal fans in all of college Gball. (I mean Fball). They play hoaxes on Bulldog fans all the time, no matter how innappropriate the gag. One of my inlaws actually locked a Tech plate on my rear bumper. So I received the jeers of Bulldog fans everywhere I went. How do you explain that you’re really a Bulldog when people are chasing you? My house gets AP’d all the time. (I mean TP’d). That’s cause I park in my driveway. BTW: My car’s been pelted with a bumper crop of acorns this year and the finish is scarred. Dont tell me squirrels are bulldog fans too. That really T’s me off. I mean P’s me off. No wait, both letters work there.
Nevermind.
By Cindy
October 20, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
Never Argue with an Idiot…They’ll drag you down to their level.
By justmyopinion
October 20, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Sorry for the typo, guess nowicunvme had no comeback so he attacks something that was an obvious slight of fingers. Sorry nowicunvme my opinion counts as much as yours does.
By Comrades
October 20, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
Dems are looking at another stimulus package focusing on job creation. What say ye bloggers? No need to complain about socialism when the government buys banks and financial firms, we’ve already cross that river. Even Hugo Chavez called Bush a socialist, should fearless leader now be addressed as dear leader?
Like who really cares, right? Bring on the economy!
Obama offers Powell a job, as for the rest of the elephants he is said to have smirked… Let them eat peanuts!
By Jais
October 20, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
Ok, ricks people are blocking my posts again. Stifle my free speech? Get ready for this blog to come down, rick. More of the same, no blog for joo.
Sorry folks- had to do it since Rick is attempting to doctor his blog with cencership of any attempt to discredit his candidate, obama. Now the gloves come off. see you guys when the blog is back up.
By nIGGLETS
October 20, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this
Do me a favor ajc- if you want to try and cencor the truth wait till I give you something to cencor. LIke this.
By NOWICUNVME
October 20, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this
Yes? You rang?
By NOWICUNVME
October 20, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
**FYI…THOSE LAST COMMENTS POSTED UNDER MY SCREEN NAME AT 12:48 ARE NOT MINE. IT’S JAIS ASSUMING MY IDENTITY. POOR POOR PATHETIC DERANGED JAIS. SEE, YOU DO ENVY ME, YOU WANNA BE ME. HEY BTW DID YOU HEAR THE COLIN POWELL INTERVIEW WITH TOM BROKAW?
By Jais
October 20, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
it’s not me.
By NOWICUNVME
October 20, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
YOU ARE PATHETIC. HOW DARE YOU SIT HERE AND USE MY LAZYNESS AND STUPIDITY TO BERATE MY RACE? HOW DARE YOU SIT HERE AND DETEST BLACKS? i’M SO ANGRY I’M GOING TO GO TO THE LIQUOR STORE AND BUY ME A 40.
By Jais.is.a.joke
October 20, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this
Heh, heh. I love watching Jais’ head spin off.
Keep blocking his as.s, Rick.
By Comrades
October 20, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Move further to the left. Jais the Tasmanian Devil is going to explode!
Duck Rick, duck!
By Joe the Thumber
October 21, 2008 5:58 AM | Link to this
Gentlemen. GENTLEMEN! We’re not going to solve the bailout crisis here. Lets try to be more like the G7 countries, who shake hands and nod in agreement for photo ops, instead of nuking each other like they want.
It’s like Joe the Plumber. There’s a report that he’s connected to the Keating Five. We have to find out if that’s true. We should know that he’s NOT connected to the K. Five, or the Gang of Four, or the Three Stooges, or the Double Mint Twins, or the single bullet theory.
Until then, none of will know if Obama is really Osama wearing mouse ears.
Just a point of order, sirs.