Viewpoints: Letters / Opinions
Time to Cut the Fat
By A. M. Johnson
October 18, 2017
Wednesday PM
Editor-
Representative Ortiz has been very active in keeping the folks advised of upcoming subject matter regarding the budget shortfall gap. Never too much information and seeking more has been his byword. I thank him for the efforts. Often he and I serve as contrarians to ideas each present. While we pretty much are on opposite on most subjects government or social, there are moments we seem to agree. It all takes place in a gentlemanly process to which we are both pleased.
However, at this point of his efforts relating to his latest piece in Sitnews, I have to again disagree. There has NOT been enough pure reduction within the state government. Unfortunately, this will be proven at a later date when the continued appropriation of all savings funds have been exhausted, maximum amounts of personal taxes have been extracted and there is NOTHING left to reduce except government.
In his letter he quotes the message from our governor regarding a proposal, what I title The Camel Nose Under the Tent effort with this extraction:
Proposed by Governor Walker, the first proposal is a flat rate tax of 1.5% paid by everyone earning wages or self-employment income in Alaska.
How soon following the successful institution of this low level tax will the legislature begin ratcheting up as the easy need increases?
Let me see if I understand this in terms of the current situation that has been advocated clearly by Mr. Rodney Dial in an earlier submission outlining the huge number of non tax paying citizens (Resident/non-resident inclusive) as well untaxed unorganized boroughs...
If I work I have to pay taxes to the Federal/State (1.5%) government. If I don't work the Federal/State government pays me.
See, when one puts into a simple sentence or two, the picture becomes clear. If I am not mistaken, while Representative Ortiz has sympathy to the pain of taxes, not too much.
I respectfully encourage my Representative to take care in his deliberations. Take another peek at that budget, Number of commissioners, Asst. Commissioners, Supervisors in the mired of departments, new programs/positions developed and funded during fat budget years. Time to cut the fat and programs that didn t exist because funds were not available. Nothing is indispensable.
Regards,
A.M.Johnson
Ketchikan, Alaska
About: "No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session." -- Mark Twain (1866)
Editor's Note:
The text of this letter was NOT edited by the SitNews Editor.
Received October 17, 2017
- Published October 18, 2017
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