Commendations to the Deseret News with their Aug. 10 editorial titled "46 tax hikes." They have recognized it is not wise to reach further into the taxpayers' pockets, and as the article stated, "Detroit provides an object lesson in how dangerous that idea can be", and, "In government, frugality seems to be a less attractive option than just raising taxes".
And, as stated in the editorial, Utah's public entities are far from Detroit's situation, but the direction we are taking is the very same taken by Detroit and a couple of California cities ... upward with tax increases.
Do we not learn from seeing what this leads to? Don't we realize that each additional dollar some government entity takes from families is one less dollar they don't have to spend on necessities of life? Don't we understand that each additional dollar taken from the private sector in the form of taxation is another dollar that will not be out there working to bolster the economy and, in its own way, generating taxes as it moves from hand to hand and business to business?
I have heard statements made by those supporting the increases like, "It means only one less cheeseburger a week," or "it is only a dollar a day," but in reality it is another dollar a day to add to an already overly burdensome tax total for people to pay. Tax totals have been adding up at just another dollar a day to where we are now approaching a dangerous point.
Where is the outrage and where are our leaders with the gumption to stand up against these crazy decisions?
Bill Barton
West Jordan