In order to raise revenue, the federal government planned a tax amnesty program that
allows tax delinquents to pay all owed tax without added financial penalty. However,
economists projected that the federal government would collect a far lower percentage
of total tax owed by delinquents than did state governments implementing similar
programs.

Which of the following, if true, would most contribute to an explanation of the
economists’ projections?

A. Tax amnesty programs are only successful if they are widely publicized.
B. Most people who honestly pay their state tax are equally honest in paying their
federal tax.
C. Although federal tax delinquents usually must pay high financial penalties, the
states require far lower financial penalties.
D. The state tax rate varies considerably from state to state, but the federal tax is
levied according to laws which apply to citizens of all the states.
E. Unlike most federal tax delinquents, most state tax delinquents fail to pay state
tax because of an oversight rather than a decision not to pay.