Taxes from 1982 to 1994?

My buddy and I are having a little argument. He was telling me when he was working he was paying a lot of taxes. I told him he was probably getting tax credit. In 82 he was in his mid 20's. Owned a small home had a wife and 2 kids. Worked at the Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee, WI. probably making 12k a year. He was a sentinel manager. Wife had a sentinel route. He never did his own taxes so I don't think he remembers. Could someone tell me with the info you have, does it sound likely he paid taxes at all or did he get tax credit? Where would I be able to find the tax tables for that time?