Enough is enough
Much has been written and spoken about the so-called state employees pension bubble, the financial catastrophe looming just a couple of years from now and brought about by a combination of sour investments, an untimely decision to increase retirement benefits and years of underfunding pension contributions on the local level. Concern about a possible property tax explosion in 2012 to help fund the Public School Employees Retirement System is very real and very justified. Taxes could go through the roof and would likely stay there. While everyone will be affected, senior citizens and others on fixed incomes stand to take the hardest hit.
Worse than the pension bubble itself, however, is the tendency for taxing bodies to often view their own revenue wish list in a vacuum and fail to consider the cumulative impact a host of higher taxes can have on already-beleaguered taxpayers.
A senior citizen caller reminded us of this the other day when he ran down a short list of tax obligations facing the typical citizen and how, as each individual tax gets bigger, the overall tax burden becomes heavier and heavier.
For example, in addition to the bill coming due to fund the pensions, there are the millions and millions various school districts are spending on, among other things, fat labor contracts, new school construction, and maintenance and repairs on existing schools. Add to that the costs of whatever kind of health care reform comes out of Washington. Then throw in the tab for the budget that Pennsylvania lawmakers will adopt one of these days.
One way or the other, the taxpayer will get stuck with all of this spending, on top of everyday living expenses for things like food, clothing and shelter. Trouble is, the taxpayer is already struggling. There is only so much money in most people’s pockets. When it’s gone, it’s gone. The politicians crying poor-mouth don’t seem to care. They continue to want more, predicting dire consequences for those most in need if their demands aren’t met.
The fact is, government’s insatiable demand only guarantees that increasing numbers of people are going to fall into the “most in need category,” and that those lucky enough to keep their heads above water will just barely do so.
We have to admire any politician or candidate who insists that government at all levels must learn to live within its means. County and municipal governments generally do the best job. School districts? Not so much, as evidenced by routine yearly property tax increases. Pennsylvania state government dug itself a $2 billion hole that it continues to try to climb out of, and guess who will ultimately pull Harrisburg out?
As for the federal government, we stopped counting a long time ago. Washington is a fiscal train wreck. The taxpayers have the damage-control duty.
As they do for all of government’s mistakes and profligate spending.
The Intelligencer