>>The only way around that would necessitate scaled penalties based on net worth, and I'm not sure that's a viable alternative.
>
>With SOME rich people, esp. of teh tax avoidance variety with good accountants, that would probably mean their paying smaller fines than the poor!

Just one more reason to establish some easy taxation rules.
(No I will not put "sensible" and "taxation rules" into one sentence without brackets...)