As more and more Americans declare the present federal tax system untenable, tax experts, policy analysts and politicians are presenting new -- and most would agree, preferable -- taxation options. At least ten tax reform plans have been offered up for debate.

One is the National Retail Sales Tax:

• Modeled on state sales taxes, it would amount to a 15 percent levy on every good or service at the point of sale.

• It would be collected by the states under the same mechanisms they currently have in place.

• Businesses and states would be allowed to keep a percentage of the "take" to offset administrative costs.

Advocates contend that all income taxes are hidden consumption taxes: every dollar paid in personal income taxes is one less dollar the consumer has to spend, and every dollar in taxes on businesses is passed on to, and ultimately paid by, the consumer in the form of higher prices.

Furthermore, they argue that their plan meets all the criteria laid out by the Kemp Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform.

• It would promote economic growth by removing disincentives to hard work, savings and investment; lowering interest rates and increasing family income; and -- by reducing the cost of complying with taxes -- save $300 billion.

• The tax would be fair, because those spending the most would pay the most, those spending the least, would pay the least; and, through a tax credit, those below the poverty level would pay nothing.

• Compliance would be simple not only for individuals but also for businesses after they take their credit for record-keeping expenses.

• Dividend, interest and capital gains income, as well as home mortgage interest (which by definition is not consumption) would all be tax free.

Advocates contend that any form of income taxes -- including even the flat tax -- would always be subject in the future to amendments and tinkering.

Source: U.S. congressman Dan Schaefer (R-Colo.), "The Case for a National Sales Tax," Wall Street Journal, March 11, 1996.