Paying taxes: A punishment or an investment?
Being good financial stewards is one thing, but withholding funds that could be responsibly used to address glaring state needs is not only irresponsible; it is wrong.
By Jeff Zdrale
The last fiscal year ended with a state budget surplus or $4.5 billion. I can imagine our Republican legislators saying, 'Whoo-hoo! Look at how frugal we are and, hey, it’s your money anyway so we’re gonna figure out ways to get it back to you.'
Is that the best response to having extra funds on hand? Returning dollars that don’t deserve to be sitting around doing nothing? Or is it a misguided dislike for any government action that takes money out of peoples’ pockets?
Nobody likes paying taxes, but they are not inherently evil. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, 'I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization.' FDR called taxes the dues we pay for the privilege of membership in an organized society.
Being good financial stewards is one thing, but withholding funds that could be responsibly used to address glaring state needs is not only irresponsible; it is wrong. Kristen Brey’s recent Post-Crescent editorial spotlighted the state’s financial stranglehold on public education, higher education, child care, environmental safety, outdated prisons and struggling care facilities.
Our legislators aren’t blind. Ignoring and underfunding have been conscious choices. 'Too much government interference in peoples’ lives. They’ll become too dependent on government handouts and won’t do enough for themselves.' No.
Let’s have state officials do what they were elected to do – provide for the public safety, health, fiscal stability and overall well-being of all Wisconsinites. Do that and we’ll be glad to make the investment.
