Warren Buffett’s secretary over the weekend poked fun at her newfound
public reputation as the woman who pays taxes at a higher rate than
her billionaire employer with a satirical list of the “top five things
I'm gonna spend money on when Mr. Buffett gets me into his lower tax
bracket.”
Debbie Bosanek was asked in a scripted performance at the Omaha Press
Club on Saturday whether Buffett’s intention was to lower his
secretary’s tax bracket or raise his own.
“I'll take the lower bracket, thank you,” she replied, before offering
her list of things she would buy with more money in her
pocket and less going to the government in taxes:
No. 5: “A new ribbon for my Smith Corona typewriter.”
No. 4: “A set of earplugs for when Mr. Buffett practices his ukulele.”
No. 3: “An extra scuttle of coal for those cold January days at the office.”
No. 2: “A nice dinner any place but Gorat's and Piccolo Pete's.”
No. 1: “A brand new iMac so I can stop using those crappy PCs he gets from
Bill Gates.”
Bosanek’s role as Buffett's secretary has vaulted her into the public
eye ever since her mega-rich employer used her as part of his argument
that the wealthy should face a higher tax rate.
Democrats touted Buffett’s
argument, even naming a proposed tax on the wealthy the “Buffett
Rule,” while Republicans pushed back on Buffett’s claim that he is
taxed at a lower rate than that of his secretary, demanding to see his
tax returns.
Bosanek sat in the first lady’s box at the State of the Union earlier
this year when President Obama directly referred to her in his speech.
“Asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in
taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense,” Obama said.
Bosanek was introduced at the event over the weekend as "Warren
Buffett's over-taxed, underpaid executive assistant.”
“Just say secretary,” Bosanek replied, in video provided by the Omaha
World Herald. “I can take it.”
The event raised money for journalism scholarships. Bosanek’s
boss, who recently bought the Omaha World-Herald newspaper, also
joined the show. Buffett sang a version of “I’m Only a Paperboy” and
declared the Herald would be “just fine.”
