Benjamin Franklin said that no matter what, only two things in life were certain -- death and taxes. There is usually little we can do when our number comes up, but with our taxes, particularly in a representative republic, we should have some say. We all know that at some level, we pay taxes to receive certain benefits from our government: a judicial system, police presence and basic infrastructure.
Of course, we also get an army of overpaid bureaucrats, bridges to nowhere and redundant programs that generate more waste and problems than they solve. We hate to see our money squandered, but it becomes doubly offensive if we are forced to pay "more than our fair share."
The municipal tax differential has come up again, and again, municipal residents are being forced to pay extra for redundant services. The county's excuse to deny them? Any extra money they pay goes into the school district. Why should city residents pay more for the schools than others? Can't our county officials see the inequity of taking more than is required from some taxpayers for any reason?
If the cashier at McDonald's kept your change, wouldn't you be upset? The tax differential is just and right; it should not be dismissed by the county out of hand. We do not exist to serve the insatiable appetite of government and it is wrong to require some to sacrifice more of their flesh to the beast than others.
Michael Calpino
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