Letter To The Editor: Don't Insulate Voters From The Full Cost Of Government

Dear Editor

In response to Nate Martin’s letter, ‘Another Way To Think of a State Income Tax,' thanks. It’s important that we keep the state funded. It’s a subject that needs to be discussed

Usually a conversation on this topic turns into “…..we need to cut spending and reduce the size of our government!” and the conversation ends there. Nobody seems to have the answer to that one. Slowing the growth of our spending seems to be the best we can do.

We continue to try to insulate a majority of Wyoming voters from the full cost of government. We do that by shifting more and more of the burden to “those that can afford it”

That’s the opposite of what we should be doing.

A broad tax base is needed. We shouldn’t try to “protect “ a majority of our voters from the cost of government. More voters need to scrutinize the things we spend money on.

The argument that’s most often made is that a broad tax base hurts people who can least afford it, but no less than putting the burden on those who provide jobs and produce things that we buy. They simply pass those costs down to everyone else.

Let’s stop trying to hide the cost of government. Voters need to see and feel the immediate effects of it so they can make educated decisions.

We need to stop creating the illusion that “someone else” will pay for it, when in fact, a bloated government negatively affects all of us.

Thanks Nate, for bringing this discussion to the table.

Sincerely,

Jeb Hanson

Lusk, Wyoming