Taxes

My Thoughts on Taxes
 
We live in a community. We share the use of many things in order for our community to function efficiently. For example, we share the use of, and responsibility for, the following:

  • Road building and maintenance
  • Drinking water treatment and distribution
  • Sewage treatment and disposal
  • Education, including the Public Library
  • Fire and Police protection, including the County Sheriff Department
  • Garbage collection and disposal including recycling
  • The provision and maintenance of public transportation
  • The provision and maintenance of public green space for recreation, storm water runoff and groundwater replenishment, wildlife habitat, etc.
  • Many other services are provided through our taxation system. There is not room to list all of the services.

We have a shared responsibility for the costs of these items.
 
Our tax system is very complicated. We have: income tax (state and federal), payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), property taxes (state, city and county), and sales taxes. In some instances we have county or city sales taxes as well as “vice taxes”.
 
I think we need to examine our tax system closely and carefully.
 
The burden of the tax responsibility should be shared by all of us, including government entities, corporations and businesses, and individuals and families. We all use and benefit from the items or services listed above. We all have a responsibility to provide for each other and for future of our children.
 
Careful examination of the tax system should result in:

  • Fairness according to the ability to pay in sharing the tax responsibility
  • Shared revenues from state and federal governments to city and county governments to assist in payment for infrastructure needs and services
  • Improved budget planning and cost controls at each level of government
  • Government agencies working together to promote regional cooperation, limit spending and share cost burdens and income benefits

We will all benefit from cooperative planning rather than competing against one another for an ever-diminishing piece of the tax pie.
 
Penny Bernard Schaber