Bob Gillam’s daily anti-income tax ads in the paper got me thinking. Denmark, Norway and Iceland have fairly high taxes, but they also have universal health care, no cost public education through college, affordable public transport, full employment, old age pension for all citizens, and are in the top five of the World Happiness Index. The U.S. is 13th. Some folks characterize the Nordic countries as “Nanny states,” but in actuality they are universal services states. Their motto could be “You get what you pay for with taxes.” For decades, the oil companies have been paying our taxes for us, but that is not working so well anymore, is it? Now we are faced with extreme budget shortfalls, the oil money is drying up, and if we don’t step up and take some ownership in our state by paying a modest income tax, why should we expect decent services, or any services at all?
As for Gillam’s assertion that every state instituting an income tax since 1960 went into financial decline, Alaska did away with its income tax in 1980; and look where that got us!
I want good services from the state; adequate police protection, good education programs for our youth, a vibrant university system, safe roads and secure retirement systems; so, please, tax me.
Karl Monetti
North Pole
