TAXES: Time to assess situation
Am I alone in my total saturation point regarding government budget woes? Every single day I hear and read about this tax assessment needed or raised, this permit added or raised, this bond needed or raised, using various terms to cover the impact of increasing charges to us all.
Some of the items or desires are presented as essentials, some as improvements but it still comes out of the same pockets. Whether it is school, city, county, state, or federal issues and desires, it still comes from the people's pocketbook eventually.
Our personal income has taken a hit due to the economic woes, decreasing $750 a month, and I have not figured out who I can "assess" to replace that figure let alone find additional income for "improvements" or maintenance issues! Re-evaluation of priorities is a necessary part of life for most of us, yet the public issues seem to defy reason or timeliness. I personally feel the KTEC school is a marvelous idea and admire the Meyers family for the property donation but the timing could not be worse so NO was placed on my ballot. My budget priorities and reasoning says we must force the schools and government entities to learn to manage what money they have just as we do. If it goes down - PRIORITIZE!
The tea party movement came out of that financial concern of the average, hardworking, patriotic citizen. We come from various backgrounds: different views, different finance resources and different politics but know that the government's ORIGINAL responsibility was to protect our freedoms and allow us to succeed or fail as we search for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not take over our lives and finances.
We are not warmongers, hatemongers or racial discriminators. We are citizens that have worked hard, asked for little and just want the government to learn to be lean until the economy stabilizes. It will only stabilize when the private industry has confidence to grow and hire and we the people have the confidence to pursue our goals with a stable job. I personally am a conservative Republican but all different parties and races are represented. It is such a joke to hear republicans labeled as the "monied" party. Many of those I know make under the average income bracket but it is their belief system, not their pocket book that guides that decision! Check for yourself the monied people in our Congress without media labeling and you will see both parties represented and almost the reverse of what you hear!
I hope I am not the only one sick and tired of spending suggestions and decisions unless I find some way to "assess" someone else for my essentials, desires and maintenance issues.
VICCI ANDERSON
Coeur d'Alene