Tax-driven thinking

It’s somewhat telling to note the lead article, page one, in today’s (March 26) Spokesman-Review describing potential job losses in public schools following the takeover by the state in local district funding, while the lead article in the Northwest section describes state Democrats proposing more taxes (capital gains, real estate, business and occupation) in spite of a surplus in the state coffers.

This pretty much highlights the chasm between Democrats and Republicans: the latter see individual and business economic growths as solutions to fund government projects, while the former seek continued increasing individual and business taxes as foundations for state programs.

This is the same distinction being played out on the national stage, except the irony here is Washington state has a budget surplus.

Democrats in Olympia would be wise to review the financial collapse of blue states like New York, Illinois and California wherein taxpaying individuals and businesses have fled the states’ tax-driven mentality to seek haven in red states like Florida and Texas. An expansive state (or federal) government does not always improve citizens’ quality of life, does it?

Joseph Harari

Spokane