Commentary: Tired of paying taxes? Tally your 'private' cost once
Source: By John Lemberger, Oshkosh Northwestern (WI), November 18, 2007
.......... What do I get for my state and local tax dollars? Well, my wife and I paid about $9,000 in property, income and sales tax for 2006.
Let's consider what it would it cost me to purchase all of the goods and services that $9,000 chips in for from the private sector over one year.
........ If my math is right, I'm at $58,700 for buying necessary services from the private sector. That's quite a bit more than the $9,000 I'm paying in taxes.
There are, however, many other things your tax dollars provide you: Parks, libraries, child support services, emergency services, airport, veterans services, human services, county highway maintenance, public health department, coroner, clerk of courts, Park View Health Center, UW-Fox Valley, University Extension Services, natural resources protection, wardens, register of deeds, land and water conservation projects, scholarships, and more. Tax-supported, not-for-profit, universal health care is one more thing we need.
Please don't misunderstand. I'm not advocating that everything should be provided through the public sector. I'm not a communist. After all, who wants to drive a Trabant?
I'm a pragmatist who believes we should use whichever sector -- private or public -- works best. And I believe those who think they can do better without any tax-supported services are just plain wrong.