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They've extended the tax filing deadine to, what, Midsummer's eve? And people are still having a hard time getting them in on time.

When I get my W-2 I go to TurboTax and fill out the forms and my refund checks are deposited directly in my checking account in 10 days or less. So by mid-February I've already spent the refunds you guys are still struggling to find a way to cheat the government out of.

Here, then, are some taxing things to think about when you take a minute or two to come up for air from under that pile of tax law jibberish.

The tax burden

First, across the nation state and local taxes this year take the biggest bite ever out of our paychecks: 11 percent. That's only up a smidgeon from 10.9 percent in 2005, the last record year, but what the heck, it's still our money.

The top three states are Vermont (14.1), Maine (14.0 and New York (13.8).

You can rejoice that Massachusetts ranks 28th at 10.69 percent, while neighboring Rhode Island is 4th at 12.7 - and that doesn't include the Mob Tax.

Alaska enjoys the spot at the bottom, 6.6, percent, followed at 8.0 percent by New Hampshire, where residents are constantly exhorted to live free or die.

Freedom from taxes

Secondly, let's look at Tax Freedom Day.

That's the theoretical day that you begin earning money for yourself.

Up until that day, all your earnings go to pay one tax or another.

Nation-wide, the date is the end of this month, April 30, two days later than in 2006.

Oklahoma is at the top of the pile, with those cowboys having to work only until April 12 to pay all their tax bills. Connecticut - what a revelation - is at the bottom, because those nutmegers have to work until May 20 before they get out from under their tax burdens.

In Massachusetts Tax Freedom Day is May 6 and we're 9th from the top.

Go across the state line to Rhode Island and you have to work until May 9, fifth in the nation.

OK, enough loafing. Get back to work.

On a positive note

Eleven cities in Massachusetts, and they are Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester, are home to 30 percent of all state residents living below the poverty level.

Noticeably missing is the Attleboro "metropolitan area."

Read the headlines. We are an area on the move.

Thanks for the papers

Thanks to Bill Hogarth of Attleboro for a copy of the Tampa Tribune he brought back from a sojourn in Florida.

Thanks for the bears

I received three teddy bears this week with a simple note that said "From Foxboro." Thank you, Foxboro.

The bears go to the Attleboro Area Council for Children, who give them to local police officers, firefighters and ambulance crews to give to children in crises.

Our teddy bear total to date is 4,917.

See you next week.

ORESTE P. D'ARCONTE is publisher of The Sun Chronicle. Reach him at 508.236.0394 or at darconte@thesunchronicle.com.