Look to the future
I am very disappointed by The Times’ coverage of the two rallies that took place in Olympia Monday and wonder if Andrew Garber attended the same rally that I did [“Thousands rally for and against tax increases,” NWTuesday, Feb. 16].
The rally I attended was not for tax increases, it was for finding means to fund necessary human resources in Washington state. Tax increases might be part of the solution and closing loopholes is another part — winning the Powerball would qualify too.
The rally I attended was looking at the future, the other was looking at the present. As a teacher — of various age groups — for over 30 years, I can attest to the expense of trying to remediate students who were not ready for education. These are students who are not prepared to enter the work force and earn salaries and will pay taxes.
Also, people who are not healthy or who currently need public assistance — possibly temporary — may become a drain on public resources rather than someone who can contribute to the system. Isn’t that what the “no-new-taxes” supporters actually want: enough people to share the tax burden so it doesn’t fall on anyone unnecessarily?
So, if we don’t prepare for the future by providing public services that will help citizens become and stay taxpayers, what’s the future going to look like? I’m afraid a lot like the present, only worse.
— Linda Knutson, Duvall