Idea for school tax exemption 'is a winner'
Editor:
Re the March 6 column by Barry Paschal, Special break fails fairness:
Now that we have had a class titled Taxation 101, let us move on to the next class of Taxation, Intermediate Level. Citizens pay taxes on everything.
Whether it is fair or not does not seem to matter. Not all of us like paying taxes, especially when we do not receive services or the laws are not upheld regarding property. As we go through the budget we find very expensive needs, and We the people are expected to fund all of these wants and needs without question. We cannot assume that our interests and needs are being put in the budget, nor that everything is being funded correctly. But we are expected to pay without question and on time.
Services are rendered for a fee. Children are educated in public schools. Roads are paved and repaired. At least we hope that all of this is going on. Then, we get our newest tax bill and find that more is needed to fund the latest budget. Property taxes cannot do everything, and we were told that the extension of the 1-cent sales tax would solve that problem and take some pressure from the homeowner. Again, the fairness thing comes into view when we as taxpayers had hoped the 1-cent sales tax would even out the playing field and that everyone would pay his fair share.
Sounded good when the politicians up for re-election were spouting their plans for better funding of the budget. The lottery for schools and education and the 1-cent sales extension for property owners still sounds good, but is that what is happening?
I never thought that I would agree with anything state Rep. Bill Jackson had to say, much less propose, but exempting those over 70 from paying school taxes is a winner. I think it should be earlier, but that would be hard to sell.
Those of us who do not send children to public schools are not fond of paying for a school system that we do not believe in, and there should be some adjustment. I wonder if we could get Bill Jackson to propose something similar on welfare or conservation? This has a nice ring to it!
Judie Kremin
Appling