[Am-info] The Register/How MS tax policy saves Gates millions - Nader

[Mark Hinds]

>Nobody begrudges Gates his fortune.  But if he ain't paying his "fair share"
>of taxes, that's another story...

Its not just a matter of how much tax Gates pays, but a matter of what is
right for MSFT shareholders. MSFT could easily yield a 4% dividend per year.
This would actually increase the value of the shares. It would cost Gates
half billion a years in taxes and would deplete the company's cash pile
(eventually). MS's money pile gives them tremendous power to buy their
way into whatever they want to do - just one more aspect of their monopoly
power. At this point the average shareholder would probably see more
advantage from the dividend than the conservation/growth of the already
bloated MS cash pile. If I was an MSFT shareholder I'd prefer a dividend.

Mark